Rose in the Eclipse of the Sun
by MoonRaven95
Summary: She was in wrong place in wrong time and got a punishment. Now she is ten years younger. Can she become her true self even though she has unsolved secrets in her past?   Lot of OCs. Rated T just in case.
1. Danger in Eddy P

**A/N: This is my first fanfic which I publish and the first which I have written in English. I only hope some mercy on my … mistakes and some review. Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of DC or MK characters, only my OCs.**

**REWRITING STARTED!**

* * *

Barako Nisshoku, Ketsui Seihôkei and Mizuki Nohara walked back home. They just had had a wonderful day in Tropical Land.

"But I still don't understand WHY we went there." Ketsui yawned. She had a short, light-brown hair, grey eyes and glasses.

"Oh, c'mon! Don't be boring." Barako chirped. She was half-American and proud of it. Her long, straight and blond hair waved in the wind.

"But YOU were the one who wanted to go there but YOU didn't even come to the rollercoaster or the ghosttrain." Ketsui said. Barako was going to say something but Mizuki stopped her. She sensed the storm was coming.

"Girls, calm down. After all, we still had a lot of fun, didn't we?" The dark-haired girl said.

"Well, yeah." Ketsui finally admitted.

"Nani? Is it that much already?" Barako noticed when she watched her watch,"Sorry girls, I have to go. See ya tomorrow!" She started to run.

"See ya!"

"Bye!"

When Barako had disappeared Ketsui asked:"Do you also have a bad feeling about this?"

"We will see it later." Mizuki smiled,"Besides, we shouldn't worry about her. We three are already seventeen."

"You are propably right." Ketsui sighed.

* * *

Barako had no idea why she left in such a hurry. She didn't have any hobbies at this time of a day and no one was at home right now. Her father, Risei Nisshoku, was at work. He was a police. Barako's mother, Ren, was a teacher and was visiting her parents in Kyoto. And her so lovable little brother Iwa (13) was at his friend Kitte's place.

The blond decided to take a short cut trought the Haido –park. Suddenly, she heard a loud sound. It sounded like a gun shot. She froze. Someone or some people were shooting. She should run away and quick, but her legs didn't obey. It didn't make sense.

"Little girls shouldn't be in a place like this." A cold voice said behind her. Barako turned around. A man with cold, green eyes and long, silvery hair stood there and stared at her.

"Who- who are you?" Barako asked.

"None of your business." He said as someone grabbed her behind and tried to strangle Barako. Just before she lost her consciouness, she saw an evil grin.

* * *

**A/N: So, here was the first chap. I hope you liked it. Please review!**

**Japan-English wordbook:**

**nani = what**


	2. Truths and lies

**A/N: Nothing special right now. Enjoy!**

* * *

The blond-haired girl fell on her knees.

"What should we do to her, aniki?" Vodka asked when the girl lied on the ground.

"She has seen my face and knows that here were two people, so we can't let her stay alive." Gin took a flat box under his jacket.

"Um, aniki, doesn't this feel like a deja vú? I mean, first was that Kudo in Tropical Land and now this girl here." Vodka murmured. Gin said nothing. He forced a small pill down barakos throat. Then he stood up and took his cell phone. He dialed a number and sent a message which he had written before.

"Let's go. Someone else could have also heard the shots and called the police." Gin said. The men disappeared in the darkness.

* * *

"_Shit, am I dying now?"_

"_Why I am so damn curious? It means nothin' but troubles. Ren-san, Risei-san, Iwa-kun, Kecchan, Micchan, I'm so sorry."_

"_Someone is dialing a number... That melody... Isn't it that kids' song? Was it Nanatsu no ko – __Seven children__, or something? …Why am I even thinkin' about it? Hello! You're goin' to die!"_

"_Hurts! My whole body is burnin'!"_

"_Will the police find a charred corpse? Scary!"_

"_Tired, I'm so tired…"_

Barako heard some footsteps and a sound of police cars. Wasn't she dead yet?

"Oi, someone is here!" A female officer said. "Why are you here, little lady? Have you run away from home?" She continued when a male officer, who had come with her, came and picked Barako up. Was she that light?

"Lets take her to the station." The woman continued.

* * *

When Barako finally woke up, she was at the policestation.

"Where am I?" She mumbled and looked around. She had lain on a sofa.

"You're at Haido's central policestation." One of the officers said to her. A door opened.

"What kind of a meeting is going on here?" The policeman who came in asked.

"Nisshoku-keibu!" Officers exclaimed.

"_Risei-san? Oh no!" _Barako was terrified.

She was in trouble. In big trouble, if her father notices her. "_What should I do? This must be a dream. Soon someone will have a black eye…_" She thought.

"Is that your name?" Inspector Nisshoku asked.

"Sorry?"

"I asked your name and you whispered Yume Kuroi. Is that your name?" Inspector repeated.

"Yes, that's my name, Yume Kuroi." Barako lied. "_Damn, I thought aloud._"

"Good girl." Inspector smiled and turned started talking with other officers. "Do you know anything about her?"

"No, sir. We found her in Haido –park near the murder place. She was unconscious and woke up just before you came in."

"Well, a little school-girl from elementary school can't be a murderer!" Inspector gave a laugh.

"_Huh? Elementary school?_" Barako noticed a little mirror nearby and took it from the table it was on.

"_Nani? I looked like this about ten years ago._" She was suprised when she looked at herself in the mirror. She was like a seven-year-old girl. So, that's why the inspector didn't recognize her. Luckily Barako had a different hairstyle than when she really was seven. She smiled.

"Ano, keiji? Can I have some money for a bus ticket? I think I should go home." She asked with puppy eyes. An officer, who stood nearby, was suprised.

"I can pay it." Inspector said and gave a few coins to Barako. "Have a safe trip and don't take any detours."

"Hai!" Barako jumped down of a sofa. "Jaa ne!"

* * *

**A/N: Some information about speech of my characters:**

"bla bla bla" =talking

"_bla bla bla" _=thinking, whispering

"bla bla bla" =in English

–bla bla bla =an e-mail message

**Some explanation of this chap:**

**1. Yume Kuroi = If you don't already know, I'll tell you. 'Yume' means dream and 'kuroi' means black. When Barako mumled to herself, the inspector thought she answered to his question.**

**2. "Ano, keiji?" = "Umm, officer?"**

**3. hai = yes**

**4. "Jaa ne!" = It's a bit like "Bye!" or "See ya!"**

**Thank you, plz review!**


	3. Home sweet home

**A/N: Enjoy, now you'll meet one original character from DC.**

* * *

Barako ran home. Luckily, her home was near the police station. She would propably need the bus money later.

She changed her clothes and started thinking where she could go.

"Barako-chan? Are you here?" She heard a voice coming from the hall. It was her god mother, Yoru Shamen. She was smart, much smarter than Risei-san. She could easily recognize her, even thought Barako's hairstyle was different. Ten years ago Barako had straight polka hair.

"Oi, little lady, who are you?" Yoru Shamen suddenly asked.

"My name is Yume Kuroi!" Barako chirped.

"Oh, really?" Yoru said with an **'**I don't believe so**'** –tone in her voice. "Barako-chan, I don't know what has happened and I don't even care, but it seems that you are in trouble."

"You're right." Barako sighed."Can you help me?"

"Sure, let's go to my place."

* * *

At the other side of Tokyo

"Very well, but you do understand that, you can't stay here?" Yoru said when Barako had finished her story.

"Why not? I can take care of myself." Barako protested.

"No, you can't. Look at yourself. besides, I have to travel a lot in my work and neighbours could be… hmm… a bit surprised if an odd little girl lives here alone."

"Fine, do you know WHERE I can stay then?"

"Yes, I'll meet her today and ask her."

"Who is she?"

"She is my colleague and a good friend."

"'kay, but WHO?"

"The Queen of the Court room; Eri Kisaki-san."

"NANI! You can't be serious!"

* * *

A few hours later

Barako sat on the sofa when the doorbell rang. Yoru opened the door.

"Hi, Yoru, nice to see you!"

"You too Eri. Come in, come in."

The women came to the living room.

"Who is she?" Eri asked.

"She is one of my relatives daughter. They asked if I could take care of her."

"Oh, I see…"

The women sat down and started a conversation about work, family, the latest news etc.

"By the way, what's your name?" Eri asked Barako.

"My name is Yume Kuroi." The girl answered with a childlish voice.

"That is a nice name." Eri smiled.

"Thanks."

"Eri, could you take care of her? At least for a little while? I just remembered that I have to travel because of my work next Friday." Yoru asked suddenly.

"I think it's okay. She can stay longer if it's needed. Would you like to live with me?" Eri asked the last sentence Barako.

"Yes, if it really is okay." Yume whispered.

"Eri, if you want to take care of Yume-chan longer than coming weekend, you might need her papers. I mean the birth certificate and others." Yoru said, "Her mother said that she'll send them soon to me. I'll send them to you if you want to."

"I can take care of Yume-chan as long time as is needed. Send the papers when they come." Eri answered. "Shall we go now, Yume-chan?"

"Yes!"

* * *

Beika -district, above Kisaki's law practice

"This is your room Yume-chan. You can stay with me as long time as it's needed." Eri said. "I'm in the kitchen if you need something."

When Eri had left Barako looked around the room. The room wasn't very big but not very small either. There were light blue curtains in front of the window, right opposite the door of the room. There was also a book shelf at the right side and a bed at the left side of the room. The carpet of the room was light grey.

"Yeah." Barako thought."I think I can live here..." She left the room and find Eri. The woman was chopping vegetables in the kitchen.

"Umm, Eri-san... Do you have kids?" Barako asked. "I'm just curious..."

"I have a daughter but she lives at my husband's place."

"Okay... A husband? Who is he?"

"An annoying man who is always thinking about gambling other women and beer. I have to say I was surprised when I heard that a little boy lived with Kogoro and Ran."

"A little boy?"

"His name is Conan Edogawa. His parents are living abroad I've heard."

"Okay... Who are Kogoro and Ran?"

"My husband and daughter Kogoro Mori and Ran Mori." Eri answered and smiled a bit. "How about you, Yume-chan? What kind of family do you have?"

"Well, I have an American mother and a Japanese father. They both are living abroad." Barako said. In fact she wasn't lying. At least not very much. Besides, she had a good reason to tell lies.

* * *

**A/N: Nothing special this time. Only one explanation:**

**- "She is my colleague..." = Well, Yoru Shamen is also a lawyer**


	4. New life, new school, new friend

**A/N: Since now I'm calling her Yume.**

* * *

A week later

"NANI? I am NOT goin' to school! Absolutely not!" Yume shouted. She was at Yoru's again.

"Yes, you are. Little girls need education." Yoru said back. "I even have your birth certificate and other papers that prove Yume Kuroi does exist."

"I-AM-NOT-LITTLE!"

"Oh, really? Tell me then why do you look like a first grader?"

"I'm in high-school! In Ekoda high!"

"You WERE in high-school!" Yoru was losing her temper.

"Yes, but mentally I'm still seventeen."

"Really, then why do you act like a little kid?"

"'Cause I'm tryin' to adjust to my new role."

"What ever, but you're still going to elementary school. Like it or not."

Yume knew she had lost this battle and sighed. "Fine then. I'm goin' to school if I really have to…" She finally agreed.

"Good girl."

"Stop that! That's annoyin'!"

* * *

Teitan elementary school, the front yard

Yume stood at the school gate and looked at Teitan elementary school. Kids were running around and playing football.

"It won't kill you. The first step is the worst one." She muttered to herself.

"Are you the new girl?" A boy about her age asked.

"Well, yeah." Yume knew the boy. He was Nendo Seihôkei, Ketsui's little brother.

"Great, you're coming to our class. It is 1-B." Nendo smiled." By the way, my name is Nendo Seihôkei. You are Yume Kuroi-chan, aren't you?"

"Yes, pleased to meet you… um… Seihôkei-kun."

"'Nendo' is enough."

"Uh… Nendo-kun then"

"Yup, I'll call you Yume-chan. Is it okay?"

"It's fine."

"Great!"

School-bell rang and they walked inside the school buildning.

* * *

"Class, we have a new student. Her name is Yume Kuroi." Teacher, Sumiko Kobayashi, said. A little girl came to the class room. She wasn't an ordinary Japanese. She had blond hair in a high ponytail, ice blue eyes and two locks on both sides of her face.

"Hi! Like sensei already said, my name is Yume Kuroi. And I don't have anythin' to add to that." The girl said. A boy with dark hair and glasses yawned behind his hand. Yume sat between him and Seihôkei-kun.

"Oi, Yume-chan. You're not pure Japanese, are you?" Nendo asked from Yume.

"Well, my mother is American and father Japanese but I'm not stayin' at home right now."

"Where do you live then?"

"At my nazuke no oba's friend's place. She is kind."

* * *

The school-bell rang and the kids ran out to the school-yard. Yume followed Nendo who was talking about everything. School, friends, his family, absolutely everything.

"Come, we are going to play hide and seek. And I heard that even Shounen Tantei attend this time. They are mostly playing football." Nendo said when they walked towards other kids.

"Shonen Tantei? Detective Boys in English?" Yume asked.

"Hm?"

"Forget it. What is Shonen Tantei?"

"It is like a detective club of our class."

"Who belongs to it?"

"Let me think… Kojima-kun, that big boy on the other side of the classroom; Tsuburaya-kun, he sits behind Kojima-kun; Edogawa-kun, that boy next to you…"

"That boy who had glasses?"

"Yes, and Ayumi-cha-, I mean Yoshida-chan." Nendo blushed, "and Haibara-san."

"You like Yoshida-chan, don't you?" Yume pointed out.

"Yeah… how did you know?"

"Well, maybe I can call it a woman's instict. But why did you call Haibara-chan with '-san' –endin'?"

"Everyone calls her like that except Yoshida-chan, but they're very good friends. She is so adult-like."

"Seihôkei-kun! Kuroi-chan! Hurry up or we start without you!" One boy shouted from the school's front yard.

"Coming!" Nendo shouted back."Come, Yume-chan!"

"Yes!" Yume chirped and made Nendo blush. _"An adult-like seven-year-old girl? Could it be… that the same thing that happened to me happened to her too?"_ She wondered.

* * *

**A/N: Japanese-English wordbook**

**-nazuke no oya = godmother/-father**


	5. Old friends and excuses

**A/N: The ones of my dear readers who have read the older version of this fic, might notice that here is a few differences.**

* * *

After the school day as Yume was on her way home she took her cell phone and dialed a number. It was her friends number. Yume cleared her throat and waited.

"_Barako-kun? Is that you?"_ A voice asked; it was Ketsui.

"Yes, it is me." Yume imitated her old voice.

"_Where are you? Don't you understand how worried everyone has been?"_ Ketsui shouted.

"_Leave me out of this."_ Yume heard Mizuki's voice.

"_Shut up, Nohara! But, Barako-kun,where are you? You have been missing for two weeks andfour days. EVERYONE is worried."_

"Gomen nasai, Kecchan, but i can't come back for a while. Say 'hello' from me to everyone."

"_Chotto! Barako-kun, what's going on? You suddenly disappear and when you finally call you tell nothing."_

"Kecchan, how would you have reacted if I had called you and told that someone is pointin' me with a gun?"

"_Nani? Why are you asking things like that?"_

"Bye, don't call me back. I'll call again in better time."

"_Nani? Naze? Chotto…!"_

Yume hung up the phone and sighed. Then she started to cough_. "Uh…imitatin' isn't so easy in this body, but it went better than I thought. Now it's done. I hope Kecchan is not worryin' too much..."_

* * *

"I don't understand how you can be so relaxed." Ketsui sighed. She and Mizuki were also on their way home.

"You just got a call from Barako-kun and she said everything was fine." Mizuki said calmly.

"Yeah, I TALKED with her but I didn't SEE her. How can I be sure that she really WAS there? Maybe someone was using a voice-changer or something…"

"You read too much."

"That has nothing to do with this!"

"What has then?" Mizuki asked. Ketsui was quiet for a while and thought.

"Hmm… Tropical Land?" She proposed.

"And why?"

"Don't you know? The last case which The Great Detective of East, Shinichi Kudo, solved, took a place in Tropical Land and then he disappeared…"

"Are you sure he's not just trying to avoid publicity?" Mizuki interruped but Ketsui didn't listen.

"…and after our trip to Tropical Land Barako-kun disappeared too. That place is cursed!"

"You read too much."

"You didn't talked with her. The last question was scary."

"What did she ask then?"

"'How would you have react if I had called you and told that someone is pointing me with a gun?' And she asked me to not call her back."

"Wow! Kind of scary, I think. Maybe she has been close of death and is now very traumatized."

"Yeah, maybe she was shot and now she's lying in the hospital or someone has poisoned her and she is somewhere unconscious…"

"Uh… I tried to stop you but everything I said just egged you on."

"Or… or she has shrunk! I just read a book where a high-schooler shrunk to an elementary schooler because of somekind of poison."

"Oh… let me guess; behind that poison is somekind of an organization, and the one who was poisoned, was the one who invented the poison."

"Exactly! Have you also read that book?"

"Yes, was it 'Ravens' call' ,or something? Ren Kajiya wrote it."

"Yeah, but let's go now. Nisshoku-keibu wants to talk with us."

"Risei Nisshoku-san is very worried about his adopted daughter."

"Shut up, Nohara! Don't talk about that in a public place! Barako-kun said it is a big secret." Ketsui said angrily.

"Sorry, but does Ren Nisshoku-san already know? About Barako-kun's disappearance, I mean."

"I dunno. Keibu propably wishes that Barako-kun comes back before her mother."

"… Propably but let's go. I don't want to be late."

"I still don't understand how you're so relaxed!"

* * *

Conan and Ai walked behind the girls.

"What do you think Kudo-kun?" Ai asked.

"Nothing special. The girls have quite a wild imagination." Conan answered. "Why do you ask?"

"How about Kuroi-san?"

"What about her?"

"Forget it." Ai mumbled. But Conan didn't forget the conversation he had just heard_. "Barako... Nisshoku...? Who is she? And what has happened to her?" _He wondered.

* * *

**A/N: And once again, Japanese-English wordbook:**

**1. gomen nasai = sorry**

**2. chotto = wait**

**3. "Nani? Naze? Chotto...!" = "What? Why? Wait... !"**


	6. Weird messages

**A/N: Hi there! Please enjoy!**

* * *

Yume yawned. Elementary school was boring, but it wasn't a suprise. Who would like to go back to elementary school if in reality they were in high-school?

Suddenly her cell phone vibrated in the pocket of her jacket. It had received an e-mail message. Yume had waited for that message. Every Friday she received a message at about twelwe o'clock. And always from the same number. Yume looked over the teacher.

"_Sensei won't notice me for a while."_ Yume thought. She opened the message and read what it said. It was in English, again.

"_What the hell?"_ She thought. At the beginning she had ignored them but this was too much.

-Who the heck are you? Yume wrote and sent a reply. Soon came another message.

-Little girls shouldn't use language like that, sweetie.

-Don't call me like that! Who are you?

-I'm sorry but I can't tell you. It is a big secret. And 'a secret makes a woman woman'.

Yume was typing something back when another message came.

-But I can tell you where you can find the answer.

-Tell me, and leave me alone then.

"Kuroi-chan, have you already done all the exercises?" Teacher Kobayashi asked.

"Hai, sensei!" Yume chirped.

* * *

Yume walked back home with Nendo and Detective Boys.

"What's up, Yume-chan? You look a bit worried." Nendo asked.

"I have just received some weird messages. They are startin' to scare me." Yume said.

"When did you get the first message?" Mitsuhiko asked.

"I think this sounds like a commission to Shonen Tantei." Genta interrupted.

"_Uh…really?" _Yume thought but still answered to Mitsuhiko's question. "Well, I got the first message about two weeks ago. It was also Friday. They are all written in English. At the beginin' I didn't take any notice but now it's creepin' me out."

"What is written in those messages?" Ayumi asked.

"The first one was just weird. It said: 'Be a good girl, sweetie'."

"Oi, let's continue chatting in that café over there." Genta decided and interrupted Yume again.

"Sorry, I have something else to do." Ai said coldly and walked away.

"I have to go too or okaa-san kills me. She said I have to go home straight from school today." Nendo joked with a wide smile. "But see ya on Monday!"

"Okay, let's go now. I'm starving!"

"Genta-kun, you just ate all your snacks." Ayumi smiled.

"Yeah, but it wasn't enough."

* * *

They walked to the café. It was quite small but very homelike. Only few tables with plastic chairs. The children made an order: four orange juices(DB), one tea(Yume) and some doughnuts(Genta).

"Hi, Cool Kid!" A brown haired American woman greeted.

"Hi, Jodie-sensei." Conan answered. Yume looked at the woman. She looked bit like her adoptive mother, Ren-san. But Ren-san had black hair.

"Oh, do you have a new friend?" Jodie asked.

"Yes, this is Yume Kuroi-chan. She came to our class about a couple of weeks ago." Conan explained.

"Konnichiwa!" Yume said shyly. Jodie smiled to her and went back to her seat.

"Shall we now talk about those messages?" Mitsuhiko asked. "What was written in the second one?"

"It was as weird as the first on but it had continuation in the third message." Yume said and drank a bit of her tea.

"What did they say?"

"'You are a sweet girl…' That was the second one '…but your death will be much sweeter.' Scary, isn't it?"

"And now?"

"Today, when the third message came I sent an answer where I asked who she was…"

"Oi, how do you know it is a woman?" Conan asked suddenly.

"The style of writing revealed it." Yume answered. She wasn't going to tell what the woman had sent as a reply.

"I think we can't do anything to help you." Conan said.

"Nani? Naze?" The other kids asked except Yume.

"Because we don't know who the sender is nor what her phone number is. This is a thing between her and Kuroi-chan." Conan explained.

"I agree. But however, arigatô gozaimasu." Yume admitted.

* * *

**A/N: I bet you guessed who is Yume's "penpal". The tension intensifies.**

**And again... Japan-English wordbook:**

**1. Konnichiwa = Hello**

**2. Arigatô gozaimasu = Thank you very much**

**see ya again!**


	7. Only one truth prevails!

**A/N: This is the newest rewritten chap. Please enjoy!**

* * *

In the middle of the conversation Yume rose and was leaving from the café when Ayumi stopped her and asked: "That necklace is very pretty Yume-chan. Where have you bought it?"

"I have always had it." Yume answered sadly."Sorry that I troubled you all." She paid her tea and went away.

"Oh, I just remembered. Ran-neecchan is expecting me home. Shall we go now?" Conan said suddenly. The kids paid the bill and left. They went in different directions. When the others were out of his sight Conan ran after Yume.

"Kuroi-chan, chotto!" The girl didn't react so Conan tried again.

"Nisshoku-san!" Yume stopped and looked at him scred.

"It is your real name, isn't it? You are Barako Nisshoku-san." Conan asked.

"How…? How do you know?" Yume asked. "Who are you?"

"I can tell you, but not here. Where is your home?"

"It is nearby. Follow me."

* * *

"This is… Kisaki's law practice?" Conan wondered aloud.

"Yes it is. I live above it. Eri-san takes care of me. And like I mentioned on my first school day, she is friend of my nazuke no oya. Come in."

"Eri-san? I'm home! I have one friend with me!" Yume opened the front door.

Silence.

"Hmm, it seems she isn't home yet."

"Does she cook a lot?" Conan asked. He remembered Eri's cookings which weren't very good.

"Nope, only few times a week. She isn't a very good cook."

* * *

At Yume's room(the former guest room) Yume finally asked: "Would you tell me now how did you figure my identity out?"

"I heard when two high-school girls were talking about their friend who had disappeared a few weeks ago. They also mentioned your name. When I noticed how slowly you reacted to the name 'Yume' and how you acted in the café the pieces clicked together. And I'm also a high-schooler in reality." Conan explained.

"...Okay, would you tell me who you are now?"

"I'm Conan Edogawa. A detective."

Yume stood quiet for a while. She noticed that Conan didn't tell the whole truth."… Okay, it explains everything."

"Your turn now."

"Well, you already know my name. It really is Barako Nisshoku. But it isn't my original name. I'm an adopted child. I don't know my real parents but this necklace is from my real mother." Yume said and pointed the necklace which was made of red glass and silver.

"What about your… adoptive family?"

"MY family is family of four people. It includes me; otô-san, Risei Nisshoku; okaa-san, Ren Nisshoku and otôto, Iwa-kun, he is in junior high-school…"

"_Knock, knock, knock._" Yume's cell phone rang. She had got a message.

"Is it from _her_?" Conan asked.

"Hai."

"What does it say?"

"'The truth is hidden inside your red necklace.'."

"How can she know that you have a necklace like that?"

"… I don't know. Did you have anything else?"

"No, why you ask?"

"Well, I don't want to be impolite, but I have to do my homework."

"Okay, I understand."

Yume and Conan walked to the front door. While Conan was putting his shoes on, Yume asked: "Is Haibara-chan… like us? Shrunken, I mean."

"Yes. She invented a poison which should have killed a person without any signs of poison, but instead of that the poison makes a person about ten years younger. Now she is trying to make an antidote to that poison." Conan explained.

"_Like in Ren-san's book…" _Yume thought. "What is the name of that poison?"

"Apoptoxin four-eight-six-nine, or APTX 4869[sharokku]."

"Sherlock?"

"Very funny."

"By the way, would you please keep this conversation and truth about me as a secret? Even from Haibara-chan? I'll tell her, when it's the right time."

"Don't worry. See you on Monday."

* * *

**A/N: I'm not sure when the next chap comes. Maybe tomorrow, maybe a day after tomorrow, maybe you have to wait a week, but please be patient. ^_^**


	8. A little pause: Kaito Kuroba

**A/N: Time for the first pause! The previous chapter were a kind of introducion where I told about the main idea. In these pauses I'm gonna tell about things which are good-to-know but I don't know how to tell them in the middleof this story. You can also suggest ideas for these pauses. I'll read them and think when is a good time to write about them.**

* * *

Kaito Kuroba

He is a normal teenager and a good friend of Barako, Ketsui and Mizuki. They're on a same class in Ekoda High with Aoko Nakamori, Akako Koizumi(She doesn't appear in this fic.) and Saguru Hakuba.

Kaito had taught imitating(+ art of disguising) and some little magic tricks to Barako(Ketsui and Mizuki weren't interested). And because of that Barako had seen throught Kid's identity. But she keeps it as a secret because she doesn't want to lose her friend to a jail.

Kaito had told Barako what happened in Bell Star lll(movie 14) and Barako had told about her family. So they share each others' secrets. Barako has told about her adoptation only to Kaito, Ketsui, Mizuki and now to Conan too. Saguru is too busy because of Kid so he isn't interested; Akako had propably heard from Lucifer; and Aoko is more often with Keiko than with Barako so she doesn't know either. But Conan is the only one of them who knows that Barako has shrunk.


	9. A meeting with old friends

**A/N: Now you'll meet some friends of Barako. In next chapter you'll meet other original characters from DC.**

* * *

Yume was sitting in the park and was watching children who played football. She thinking over those messages which she had received a few days ago when a boy's voice interrupted her thoughts:

"Oi, little lady, why aren't you playing with other kids?" Yume looked at the speaker. He was Kaito Kuroba from her previous class in Ekoda high.

"I just… I'm not very interested in playin' right now."Yume said.

"Really? How odd." Kaito wondered when he sat down next to Yume.

"You're so funny as always and you never learn when is right time to keep your mouth closed…" Yume murmured.

"Sorry?"

"Hey, you're Kaito-niicchan, aren't you?"

"Yes, how do you know?" Kaito asked in surprisement.

"Barako-neecchan has told me about her classmates. She also has showed some photos about them. You do magic tricks, don't you? Are you good?" Yume chirped.

"Here." A white rose appeared to the boy's hand."Is this a good proof of my magical powers?" He asked and gave the rose to Yume.

"Hai!"

"How do you know Baracchan, by the way?"

"She is a very good friend of mine."

"Are you also worried about her?"

"No, not really. If she says she is alright, I believe her. There is no reason why I wouldn't. How about you?" Yume said.

"I agree with you, I mean… I trust in her. She is mentally strong and can take care of herself, unlike Aoko…" Kaito said and ruffled his hair. Then he looked at Yume. The girl seemed to had understood what he had said.

"You don't mean that, do you?" She said.

"It depends on the point of view."

"Kaito-kun! Why weren't you at the carp ponds? We were supposed to meet there!" The black haired girl, Aoko Nakamori, asked when she walked towards him.

"S'rry, Aoko-chan, this little girl looked like she wanted to talk with someone." Kaito grinned.

"So you're saying everything is this girl's fault? How stupid! Even for you, Kaito-kun!"

"But Aoko-chan…" Kaito whined.

"What's your name, little girl?" Aoko asked and changed her mood and subject.

"I'm Yume Kuroi."

"You look a bit like Barako-chan." Aoko noticed.

"Uh, really? I don't think so." Yume said.

"Yeah, Baracchan wasn't that cute." Kaito said."But your attitude is same as hers."

"_I'll remember this, Kuroba…_" A little voice said deep in Yume's mind.

"Kaito-kun, let's go to the meeting place. Ketsui-chan and Mizuki-chan are on a way to there." Aoko said and grabbed boy's arm.

"Aoko-chan, wait! I just remembered that I have something else to do!" Kaito exclaimed. "I'm very s'rry I didn't tell earlier, but I really can't come."

"Nani? You were the one who suggested that we could go to watch Kid's heist tonight!"

"Oi, you can take Yun-chan with you instead of me." Kaito suggested and made up a nikc-name for Yume."And I'll be back before it's 10 o'clock."

"But the heist could be over by then…"

"Aoko-neecchan, can we go now? I wanna meet Ketsui-neecchan and Mizuki-neecchan and watch Kid's heist with you. It doesn't matter if Kaito-niicchan doesn't come. All girls are so clever that they don't miss boys." Yume said with childish tone.

"Is it okay to your guardian?" Aoko asked.

"I think so. Let's go, Aoko-neecchan!" Yume grabbed Aoko's hand and started to pull her away.

"See ya later!" Kaito said.

"See ya, Kaito-niicchan!" Yume waved goodbyes.

* * *

"Nakamori, who is this?" Ketsui asked when Aoko and Yume came to the carp ponds.

"This is Yume Kuroi-chan. She wanted to come and watch Kid's heist with us." Aoko explained."She is Kaito-kun's friend, or something…"

"Ah, you're the girl who came to Nendo's class a few weeks ago." Ketsui guessed.

"Yup!" Yume nodded.

"Where is Kaito Kuroba then?" Mizuki asked.

"Kaito-niicchan said he had somethin' else to do." Yume answered. "_You would better thank me later, Kuroba…_"

"Oi, Nakamori, what is that sign inside your bag?" Ketsui noticed.

"That is…" Aoko took it out of her bag. It was a sign where was Kid's face and a big, red "X" across it.

"You're still doing that? When do you give up?" Ketsui asked.

"Well…" Aoko blushed.


	10. Talking about the master of imitation

**A/N: Right continuation to the previous chap. Enjoy!**

* * *

The girls stood in front of Suzuki-museum. Inside of that museum was a topaz named "Amber Hope". It was Jirokichi Suzuki's writ for Kaitô Kid. It had been in yesterday's newspaper. There were also a lot of polices inside of museum including inspector Nakamori.

"Kid-sama!" A girl's voice squealled.

"Sheesh! Why are you so damn loud? Are you trying to brake our ear-drums, or something?" Ketsui shouted to the girl next to her. The girl had a brown polka-hair and quite expensive looking clothes.

"Snob!" Ketsui said and turned away from the girl.

"Excuse me?"

"Sonoko, maybe you were a bit too loud." A longhaired girl said to her friend.

"Môri? Are you also interested in Kid's heist?" Ketsui asked. She knew Ran quite well because they both were interested in matrial arts, Ran about karate and Ketsui about kung fu.

"Well, kind of. I came because Sonoko and Conan-kun wanted to come." When Ran said Conan's name, Yume noticed him nearby.

"Edogawa-kun!"

"Uh, Kuroi-chan?" Conan surprised.

"Is that absolute Kid-fan one of your friends?" Yume asked quietly. "Edogawa-kun?"

"Is that anti-Kid-fan one of yours?" Conan asked back."Nisshoku-chan?"

"Yes, she is the daughter of Nakamori-keibu."

"Oh, I see."

Yume's cell phone rang.

"Moshi, moshi? Kuroi desu… Eri-san?... Oh, I forgot to call you. I'm watchin' Kid's heist with my friends… Don't worry… Bye!"

"Did you just talk with Eri Kisaki?" Ran asked from Yume.

"Yup. My nazuke no oya asked if she could take care of me." Yume answered when she put her cell back into her jacket's pocket. Ran nodded and pondered why Eri hadn't told her about Yume.

"I can't understand, why everyone thinks that Kid is cool. He is just a stupid thief." Aoko said next to them. She was arguing with Sonoko.

"Don't talk rubbish! Kid-sama IS cool, brave and so~~~ handsome!" Sonoko objected to Aoko.

"Kid is just…"Aoko said. "Maybe he is handsome but he is still a thief. And I won't forgive anyone who makes fun of people who try to do their best!"

"Nakamori, calm down." Ketsui tried.

"I'm going home. I can watch from TV when otô-san arrests Kid." Aoko said and left.

"Kid-sama is so~~~ amazing!" Sonoko squealled.

"Kaitô Kid could be the best thief of this century, but there is one thing which he hasn't managed to steal. And if he had caught it he couldn't return it. Right, Ran-neecchan?" Yume said with a sly smile and made Ran blush. Ran remembered very well that little moment in the airship_. (A/N: Watch DC movie 14 if you don't already know what I'm talking about. ^_^)_

"Could be…" Ran said quietly.

"What is this about?" Conan asked.

"Gomen, gomen. Sore wa himitsu desu." Yume giggled.

"By the way, Yume-chan… was it?" Ran started. "How do you know… about it?"

"Kid-niisan told me."

"Wha~~~t? What are you saying?" Sonoko asked in a surprisement.

"Kaitô Kid is a good friend of mine and he is like a brother to me. But don't tell to anyone, okay?" Yume winked. _"Well… it is a half true. I am a good friend of Kuroba-kun who is Kid and he HAD told me about the 'kiss'." _She though.

"Could you introduce me to him?" Sonoko asked.

"Maybe I could but I don't want to." Yume said. "Besides, he has his own path and even I don't know where does it go."

"Who is he then?" Sonoko tried again.

"Gomen. I won't tell you. Not even if you pay for it." Yume said. "And it is no fun anymore if everyone knows his real name. Even thieves need some privacy." She rolled open a little paper with a text: 'Kid's identity will be a secret forever!' And grinned widely.

"Damn you, girl! " Sonoko huffed at the same time than they heard an angry cry.

"Kid! Damn you!" Inspector Nakamori shouted from the museum. A white hang glider flew away.

"Kid-sama! You did it." Sonoko squealled.

* * *

**A/N: Hmm, I hope Yume is not too much like "Mary Sue". Warn me if she starts to resemble it. But now, reviews please!**


	11. A few days in New York, part 1

**A/N: Hi again and welcome! Here was a bit longer pause but I finally updated. Now starts the New York arc which contains four chapters and this is the first one of them. Please enjoy and review after reading!**

* * *

Yume lied on her bed and looked at her red glass necklace. Why was that woman sending those messages?

'_The truth is hidden inside your red necklace.'_

How does that woman even know that Yume had a necklace like that? And how could the truth be inside of it? It wasn't a locket… or was it? Yume glanced at her bedside table. On the table were her mobile phone, her notebook and Shakespeare's _Hamlet_. Yume rose and opened the radio. She was used to listen to foreign music.

"…_Her name was New York, New York, and she took his heart away oh my, Her name was New York, New York, she had poisoned his sweet mind…"_ Sang Paloma Faith. Yume loved that song. It reminded her of the holiday she had one year ago at the Golden week.

No one else had ever touched her necklace, except her mother… No, one person had touched it, but who? And where? Curly blond hair… a faint smile… American woman… It was when she still was Barako Nisshoku…

* * *

***(Flashback starts)***

"Barako-kun, what are you reading?" Ketsui asked. She, Barako and Mizuki were on a flight from Tokyo to New York.

"_To be, or not to be- that is the question: -Whether't is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune: or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them?_" Barako read aloud. "Do you know?"

"Shakespeare? Why in English?"

"I dunno. It just felt like it. I wanted to practice 'cause this IS my first time in America since my adoption."

"Oh, you're good enough." Mizuki said. "Language is in your blood."

"When you say that it sounds a bit creepy, Nohara." Ketsui said but Mizuki didn't listen.

"I think we should sleep now." She while lowering the back of her seat. "The flight is long." She added.

"I agree. We were so damn lucky that we got tickets to the musical and I don't wanna fall asleep in the middle of everythin'." Barako said when she put her book away. Ketsui sighed.

"You two are probably right. But Barako, you haven't told yet what musical it is or WHY we are going to see it." She said to the blond girl. Barako bit her lip.

"Aww, I wanted to keep it as a secret until we're at the theater but okay then… My mother always said that a good musical is like a part of life, a unique experience that is never repeated the same. And she also said that for example this musical which we're goin' to see is very worth of seein'" Barako finally explained.

"Which musical? Tell more!" Ketsui spurred Barako on.

"_Golden Apple_." The blond answered. "But now, good night."

"Oyasumi nasai."

"Oyasumi nasai."

"-nasai." Barako muttered half asleep.

"She already fell asleep!" Ketsui noticed.

* * *

**At the airport**

"Imagine, only the three of us in the States." Ketsui said happily.

"I can't wait until I see the Statue of Liberty." Mizuki answered to that.

"You mean Miss Liberty." Barako said.

"Sorry?"

"That's the way the people in the Big Apple call her. Or so I've heard." Barako explained. "Miss Liberty, it sounds so romantic…"

"Uh, you do know a lot." Ketsui amazed.

"Where could we find a taxi –or was it a cab? We already have our luggage, haven't we?" Ketsui worried.

"Yes, we have but we have to change our money." Mizuki reminded.

"Good point. By the way, have you already heard? A murder took a place in the plane." Ketsui told.

"Nani? Honto ni? I didn't notice anythin'." Barako surprised.

"You were sleeping."

"Has it already been solved? Who solved it?"

"I'm not sure. I only heard some rumors that it was a teenager about our age."

"Whoa, really? Quite amazin'!"

"It is." Ketsui admitted.

"Uh, let's hope nothing bad happens during our vacation." Mizuki murmured.

"Don't worry, Barako-kun's necklace is our good-luck charm!"

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N: Your favourite part: explanations! ^_^"**

**1. **When Barako says "mother" she means her original mother. Ren is "okaa-san" or "Ren-san".

**2. **"Nani? Honto ni?" = "What? Really?"

**3. **"...it was a teenager about our age." Yes, Ketsui was talking about Shinichi.


	12. A few days in New York, part 2

**A/N: I have been lazy past... 30 days. But I finally updated. There is still two more chapters about NYC waiting and then I have to start writing... But now enjoy and review. I hope I can update the next two chapters during this week but nothing is sure...**

* * *

***(Flashback continues:)***

"Do you prefer British English or American English?" Barako asked to her friends as they walked on Broadway.

"I'm not sure. Both are okay I think." Ketsui answered.

"British English…" Mizuki said.

Suddenly the girls' hair fluttered. A silvery Jaguar drove past them. When the other girls continued their walk Barako stopped and noticed someone talking with the driver. Someone a bit familiar…

"I wonder, is there really a god? If God does exists… shouldn't all honest hard-working people be happy?" Barako heard. It was the American actress, Sharon Vineyard. "That's right… No angel has smiled upon me… Not even once…"

"Barako-kun, what's up?" Ketsui interrupted Barako's thoughts.

"No- nothin'…" The blond answered and walked to her friends.

"Oi, where is your necklace?" Mizuki asked.

"Nani? Ah, oh no! It's gone!" Barako

"Maybe it fell down when that car drove past us. The chain of your necklace was pretty old." Ketsui said and glared at the car.

"Let's go and search for it. It's important to me." Barako said and the girls scattered around to find the necklace.

After a few minutes Barako noticed it. It was lolling on the sidewalk. "Ah, there it is." But when she was going to pick it up a woman's hand took it.

"Oh, is this yours? I was just wondering who could have lost a beautiful necklace like this." A woman's voice said. Barako looked at the speaker.

"Ah, yes it is. Thank you very much." Barako thanked.

"It seems the chain is broken. You should probably buy a new one." The woman suddenly changed into Japanese. She gave the necklace to Barako who put it into her pocket.

"Maybe you are right." Barako noticed who had picked up the necklace. "Ah, you're…"

"Yes, I am. But keep it as a secret." Chris Vineyard whispered. "Please, don't tell anyone that I was here. Not even your friends. Okay?"

"Okay, but if you meet… Sharon-san, please say this to her: 'Maybe the angel hasn't smiled to you but you can always find someone who'll become your angel'…" Barako requested and suddenly blushed. "I hope I don't ask too much. You already returned my necklace."

"It's fine. Don't worry. By the way, what's your name?"

"Barako Nisshoku."

"Barako-kun! Did you already find it?" Ketsui's voice asked a few meters away.

"It seems your friends are worried. Maybe one day we'll meet again, Lily-chan…"

"Yes, and thank you one more time, Chris-san." Barako thanked but the actress had disappeared. "_Eh? How can someone just disappear like that?_" Barako thought.

"Barako-kun, are ya okay? Should we go back to the hotel?" Ketsui asked right next to Barako. "You're pale like a ghost."

"Ah, Kecchan! I didn't notice you were here. No, I'm fine, let's go. We have a musical to watch, haven't we?" Barako said quickly. Mizuki came from behind the nearest corner.

"Who was that woman?" She asked.

"Just some nice lady who found my necklace." Barako answered.

The girls went inside the theater. The musical named 'Golden Apple' started soon. Little by little the musical proceeded to its climax. An angel began to rise behind the mirror.

"Don't you feel somethin' is wrong?" Barako asked Mizuki when the angel's head was just above the mirror. She had noticed a laser sight from the circle.

"Sorry?"

"Look, the angel… somethin' is wrong with it…" Barako pointed to the stage.

"Hey, put your hand away!" An American man said behind the girls, but then someone suddenly screamed: "The angel is dead!" A chaos occured. The audience rushed away.

"Barako-kun, Nohara, we should go too." Ketsui said.

"Let's wait a bit. There is too much people here." Barako suggested.

"No, we are going now. I don't wanna be here anymore."

"I agree. I already lost my night's sleep." Mizuki said.

"You? How that is possible? You're even watchin' Twin Peaks well after midnight." Barako surprised.

"Shut up, you both and let's go!"

"Uwaah! Kecchan went mad!"

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N: Explanation part! YAY!**

**1. Twin Peaks.. I don't know has it been showed in Japan but my friend watched it a few years ago...**

**2. Two Vineyards... Just keep reading... I'll explain it after five or ten chapters... Not sure yet...**

**3. Ketsui and Mizuki's speech:  
- Both are calling Barako "Barako-kun" (and Barako has given nick-names "Kecchan" and "Micchan" to them)  
- Ketsui calls Mizuki by her family name and Mizuki calls Ketsui by her given name. Both without any formalities. (That's so because they have known each others longer time than Barako has)  
- About the people, who are not at the place, Mizuki uses his/hers full name (without formalities). (Don't ask why. It's just her personality...)**


	13. A few days in New York, part 3

**A/N: Hello once again. I'm not sure is this chapter in time or late. But enjoy! And review!**

* * *

Barako sighed. A depressed silence was inside the taxi which the girls had taken in front of the theater. '_Please, could someone break this silence?_' She thought.

"Why are there so many police cars here?" Mizuki wondered.

"Risei-san told me that it is because of that serial killer." Barako said.

"Huh? Serial killer?" Ketsui said surprisedly.

"Yes, they say the suspect is a Japanese man with long silvery hair. His targets have been young women." Barako explained. "But that is all I know about it. Risei-san didn't tell anything else."

"Uh, scary."

"Don't worry, we are at the hotel soon." Mizuki tried to cheer.

"We can walk the rest of the way." Barako suggested. "Besides, the serial killer hasn't ever attacked before midnight."

"Good idea. We need some fresh air." Mizuki agreed.

"…Okay then."

The girls got out of the taxi and paid.

"Let's take a short cut!"

"NO WAY!"

"Onegai, Kecchan! It won't kill us."

"Okay but let's hurry."

* * *

They turned to a side street which was pretty long and not very narrow but still dismal grey and dirty. The street was empty but there were some scrap heaps here and there. "Brilliant choice, Barako-kun…" Ketsui complained in a half way of that street when Mizuki stopped suddenly.

"Micchan?"

"I heard some footsteps. Someone is following us." Mizuki said quietly.

"I knew this was a bad idea!" Ketsui exclaimed.

"Ketsui, we don't even know is it that serial killer or not. And you know Kung Fu, don't you?" Mizuki said.

"But Micchan… how do you know he- or she is FOLLOWIN' us?" Barako asked.

"Because every time we stopped, the steps stopped too."

* * *

He had followed those Japanese girls for a while. The blond-haired girl had looked familiar. They hadn't noticed him yet… But then one of the girls stopped.

"_Micchan?"_

"_I heard some footsteps. Someone is following us."_

"_I knew this was a bad idea!"_

"_Ketsui, we don't even know if is it that serial killer or not. And you know Kung Fu, don't you?"_

"_But Micchan… how you know he- or she is FOLLOWIN' us?"_

"_Because every time we stopped, the steps stopped too."_

So he was noticed, but there was no reason why he should come away from the shadows…

"_There! Under that balcony! Someone is there!" _The blond-haired girl exclaimed and started to walk towards him.

"_Barako-kun, what the hell you are doing?" _The short-haired girl with glasses shouted to her friend.

"_Well, you know how curious I am."_

"_There is no one there!"_

"Maybe you're right but I want to be sure." The girl stopped and saw him. Her blond hair flutterd in the wind and her ice blue eyes gazed him very closely.

"_Barako-kun, is someone there?" _The dark-haired girl asked.

"You were right Kecchan, no one is here." The blond said. Then she turned around and walked back.

When the girls had walked away from the side street he stepped away from the shadows. _'It seems that the serial killer hasn't come to this area yet.' _He thought and walked back to the direction he had come from. A car stopped next to him. The woman who drove that car looked at him and asked: "Did you see anything, Shuu?"

The man lighted a cigarette and answered: "No, I didn't, Jodie."

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N: Phew! I got goosepumps when I wrote this chap but I'm happy I managed to write it. ^_^ See ya ltr!**


	14. A few days in New York, part 4

**A/N: Hi. The last part of New York adventures is here. Finally it's done. :-) Next chapter will be "a little pause" and then... I won't tell ya! But read, enjoy and review.**

* * *

"Barako-kun, what's up?" Ketsui asked when they finally were in their hotel room.

"Hm? Are you talkin' to me?" Barako asked in surprisement. She had been deep inside her thoughts.

"Is something wrong? You have been a bit quiet."

"I'm just a bit tired. We had a long flight and lot of things happened today."

"Then you should go to sleep."

"Maybe you're right." Barako yawned. "I really should go to sleep. Good night, see you tomorrow!" She walked to the room that had three beds and a closet for their clothes. There was also a door to a balcony. Barako opened that door and stepped to the balcony. She gazed far away, behind the sky scrapers. She didn't feel sleepy at all. The happenings of the day bothered her.

"_Was it a coincidence that I suddenly met the famous American actress Chris Vineyard? And that man in the shadows... Why had he followed us? _Had_ he followed us? Sharp, a bit evil looking eyes... Long black hair... He had looked familiar..._" Thoughts popped to Barako's mind.

Barako walked back inside and closed the balcony door. She took her broken necklace away from her jeans' pocket and sat down. "What a pity..." She thought. "Even the chain of this necklace has been beautiful. Maybe I can fix it when we return to Japan."

"_Barako-kun? Have you already fallen asleep?_" She heard Mizuki's voice from another room. A moment later the dark-haired girl appeared to the door. Mizuki noticed the necklace in Barako's hands. "Your necklace bothers you." She said. It wasn't a question.

"...Yeah."

"Don't worry, I'm sure it can be fixed."

"Yeah. You're propably right..."

"By the way, do you mind if we watch tv?"

"No, don't worry. I fall asleep quite quickly. Maybe you'll hear some snorin' from here."

"But you don't snore." Mizuki reminded.

"Gosh, I was jokin'!"

"I know."

* * *

Next morning

Barako woke up slowly. She saw the sun was rising and coloring the whole room with a light yellow.

"Hmh... I didn't sleep for a very long time but I did sleep well." She rose and changed her clothes. "Micchan and Kecchan are still sleepin'. I wonder how long time did they watch tv..." She thought and opened the balcony door. A chilly wind blew in and made the curtains and Barako's hair flutter.

"Barako, close that door..." Ketsui mumbled under her pillow. "...It's cold and I wanna slee~~~p. Go an' watch tv or somethin' but lemme sleep..."

"Hmph... Are you tryin' to spoil my joy? It's such a beautiful mornin'."

"But I'm tired so close that door... please."

"Fine." Barako closed the door and left the room.

***(Flashback ends)***

* * *

Yume noticed a little hinge on the pendant. Carefully she opened the locket. There was a little piece of paper which was folded in half.

"_I see it now. The whole thing. But Chris Vineyard couldn't be my e-mail "friend" because then she should've put this paper here but she didn't have enough time to do that. She only picked this up..._" Yume thought. "_But who was it then?_"

Yume opened the paper bit. It had something written in it with tiny handwriting. Yume had to squint to see what was written in it. Word by word she was more and more surprised. After reading she just sat on her bed and stared at the paper. "What the hell does this mean?" She finally managed to think aloud.

* * *

**A/N: Whoa! What was written in the paper? I know it and Yume-chan knows it but YOU don't know it(yet). Mwahahahaha!**

**Send me some requests for "little pauses". I don't have any ideas about them... :-] And questions! You can also send some questions to me! I'll try to answer without spoiling this fic. Promise!**


	15. A little pause: Ren Nisshoku

**A/N: Okay, now is time for another little pause. I decided to tell something about Ren who is pretty important person in this fic even though you, my dear readers, haven't met her yet.**

**And if you are still reading my fic... Would you please send me some feedback. The readers from FF to here and from DCW to the topic I have made to there. I feel a bit stupid if I write this but no one tells me have I written this well or not. What the readers want to know and are the things going too fast. Please! Send me some review! That is the best gift a writer can get. **

* * *

Ren Nisshoku (Ren Kajiya)

Barako's adoptive mother who has spent her years writing her book Ravens' Call and teaching English in Teitan High School. (Retired a bit before Vermouth and Jodie came to Teitan) She is a bright and caring person and makes delicious food. She and her husband Risei adopted Barako ten years ago when the girl was seven years old. (Iwa was three.)

Born and raised in Kyôto. Studied in Tôkyo. Nowadays 32 years old house-wife who lives now in Kyôto and takes care of her parents. She is also writing the next part of her book.


	16. Barako's return

**A/N: Hiya! Now the newest arc starts. I can't wait hearing your reacts about this. BTW I have to tell you one thing. Or two things... I prefer writing about Barako than Yume but I hate the name 'Barako'... Okay, I don't HATE it but I don't LIKE it either...**

* * *

Ketsui yawned. She was bored and so was Mizuki. In fact everyone in the class looked more or less bored. No one listened at the substitute teacher, an old man with light grey hair and a soporific voice. Ketsui turned around and looked an empty seat behind her next to Mizuki. Barako's seat. Usually when Ketsui looked at that seat she saw the blond girl drawing to her note book or just grinning happily. Now that seat was cold and empty. It had been like that already for three months. Ketsui sighed.

Two seats behind and one seat right from Ketsui Aoko looked out from the window. "Kaito-kun, isn't that girl…" She whispered to the boy between her and the window.

"Dare?" Kaito asked.

"That girl at the school gate."

"I don't see anyone there."

"How weird… I swear she was just standing there."

Ketsui looked outside too. There really was someone in the middle of the snowfall. Hiding behind the school fence. She only had a black hooded college shirt with cat ears and dark blue jeans on. Sometimes she watched the window of their class room but mostly she kept her face hidden. Suddenly wind blew her hood down and made her hair flutter. Ketsui's eyes widened.

"Excuse me, sensei! I feel a bit sick." Ketsui said and rose up. Everyone in the class turned to watch her with surprisement.

"Very well then. Go to the nurse's office." The old man said. "Hmm… what was your name…" But the girl had already gone.

* * *

Ketsui ran downstairs and took her shoes from her closet. And ran out to the snowfall.

"Barako-kun!" Ketsui ran to the school gate. "Barako-kun, is it really you?" She asked but the blond haired girl just smiled.

"Who else could I be?" She laughed. "Oi, Kecchan, I can't breathe…" Barako mumbled when Ketsui hugged her a bit too tight.

"Sorry, but I have missed you so much. We haven't been seen you for three months. Don't you know how worried everyone has been?" Ketsui started to cry.

"Oi, Kecchan! Calm down."

"Ketsui, you forgot your bag in the classroom." Mizuki said behind Ketsui. The short haired girl released Barako and wiped her tears away.

"Thanks Nohara." She took her school bag from Mizuki's hand and tried to avoid curious glances from other students around.

"I glad you're here, Barako-kun." Mizuki greeted.

"I'm happy about it too." Barako answered.

"Oi, neecchan! Has your annoying friend come back?" A boy's voice said. He was Mizo Seihôkei, the other one of Ketsui's two brothers, unluckily only one year younger.

"But Mizo-chan, don't you know? You are the most annoyin' one here." Barako said sarcastically.

"DO-NOT-CALL-ME-CHAN!" Mizo shouted.

"Shall we go now, girls?" Ketsui asked.

"It would be my pleasure." Barako answered politely.

"Same here…" Mizuki agreed and the girls walked away laughing joyfully.

"Oi, what's so funny?" Someone asked. It was Ketsui's little sister Izumi. The girls had been walking past Ekoda's junior high school. Izumi and Barako's little brother Iwa studied there.

"It is none of your business." Ketsui said coldly.

"Aww, you're trying to be mean."

"No, I'm not _trying_. I _am_ mean. I'm real nasty. Pure evil." Ketsui grinned to her sister.

"And I'm telling this to okaa-san!"

"Go ahead!"

* * *

When they continued their walk, Barako said: "I had forgotten how annoying siblings you have, Kecchan."

"Then you haven't missed anything…" Ketsui gave a laugh. Barako's stomach growled.

"Hungry?" Mizuki asked.

"Well, I haven't eaten anythin' since breakfast." Barako blushed a bit.

"Then we should go and eat something. I know a good place." Ketsui said. "It is under Môri's detective agency. The name was 'Kôhii Puroo', I think…"

"Coffee Poirot? I've been there once. It's in Beika district, at the other side of Tokyo, right?" Barako said.

"Yes, but when have you been there?"

"I don't remember."

"You remember the cafeteria's name but not the only time you were there?" Ketsui exclaimed loud and made people around the girls gape them.

"Ouch, my ears…" Barako whined. "_Uh, I can't tell you that I was there yesterday 'cause at yesterday I was still 'Yume'…_" She thought.

* * *

_Two days ago, Coffee Poirot_

_Yume sat opposite Conan and was dranking her tea. Conan looked like he had eaten a lemon._

"_Stop glarin' at me like that." Yume said with an annoyed tone in her voice. "I just asked you if it's possible."_

"_And then? What are you gonna do after my answer?" The boy with glasses asked._

"_Then?" Yume asked surprisedly and lowered her tea cup. "Not sure yet, but now I'm waitin' for the answer, dummy."_

"_And why would I answer to you?"_

"'_cause I know who you are. And I'm pretty sure you don't want me to tell Ran-san about it." Yume said simply. Conan's eye brows twitched a bit but he managed to stay calm._

"_I'm not bluffin'. I really know who are you, Kudô-kun." Yume sipped her tea. "What? You can't fool me. I was watchin' Teitan high school's play a few months ago when Ren-san still was there as a teacher. I saw both: Shinichi Kudô and Conan Edogawa. But somethin' was wrong with them… Kudô-kun looked a bit sick and his friend Heiji Hattori said everyone not to tell about that murder case to anyone else. I noticed immediately that it was because of Kudô-kun who had suddenly appeared there. And Edogawa-kun… Well, he, or should I say _she,_ acted completely differently than the one who I met when I rolled in Teitan elementary school." Yume kept talking like Conan hadn't been at the place at all. "Anythin' else?"_

"_Do _you_ have anything else to say? It seems you aren't done yet." Conan muttered._

"_Hmm… In fact I'm done. Was it Haibara-chan who was replacing you while you were solving the case, or rather telling us all about your deductions?"_

"_Yes, she was but how…?"_

"_I'm pretty good in disguises so it was easy to see through it. And imitatin' is a piece of cake." Yume laughed. The cafeteria was almost empty so it was easy to talk privately. "Don't look so sour! I'm still waitin' your answer, you know!"_

"_Okay, it is possible. I've done it a few times. Haibara is trying to develop an antidote to you-know-what-poison-I'm-talking-about."_

"_Yes, I know. You mentioned it when you found out who I was…And?"_

"_It lasts only 24 hour at the first times."_

"_I need four days. Do you know where can I get some?" Yume asked._

"_Haibara's lab is at Agasa-hakase's basement but I can't go there without her knowing it."_

"_Can you keep her away from there tomorrow? I'll take care of the rest." Yume rose and went to pay her tea. Conan who hadn't ordered anything waited for her outside._

"_How can you do it then? Break into the basement, I mean?"_

"_Sorry, I can't tell it. I have my ways, just keep her away from there. Okay?" Yume gave Conan an angelic smile and made the boy blush._

"_Okay then…"_

"_Yay! Thanks a lot, Kudô-kun!" Yume hugged the boy tightly._

"_Shh, don't shout it around! By the way could you get some antidote for me too?"_

"_Of course not." Yume watched the expressions on the boy's face. How his face brightened but became sour then. "But I'm sure you are still gonna help me right? See you again after a few days!" Yume ran away waving her hand happily. Conan sighed and climbed the stairs up to Môri's Detective Agency._

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading. I think this wasn't a cliffhanger, was it? Anyway, wait for the next chapter. I'll try to put it here as soon as possible. But I'm not sure how soon is that. ^_^**


	17. Coffee Poirot

**A/N: Hi, at last I managed to publish this... Now Ai is becoming suspicious and Barako goes home. I'm sorry you didn't get the part when Yume breaks in the Agasa's but I have planned to write it later in a flashback.  
This chapter and the next one are bit longer than the previous ones but I'm not sure how long are the following ones...**

* * *

Barako was sitting at Coffee Poirot with her best friends who sat opposite her. And her friends were very curious.

"I'll ask this one more time, Barako-kun: where have you been?" Ketsui asked.

"Everywhere and nowhere." Barako stated. "Ouch!" She exclaimed immediately as Ketsui pinched her cheek. "Why did you do that?"

"Ketsui, are you sure that was necessary?" Mizuki asked with her always calm voice. Ketsui only snorted and sat down.

"I just wanted to be sure it wasn't someone in disguise. I've seen when Barako-kun makes a mask and I've seen how good she is in imitating so it's possible that someone else could be as good." She answered to Mizuki and pointed out then. "And Barako-kun, you know that answer isn't enough."

"But I can't say anything else."

"Why?" For the first time in months Mizuki looked worried. Ketsui was surprised when she saw that expression on her friend's face because usually Mizuki didn't show much emotions. Barako kept her poker face on.

"'Cause I can't tell you the truth but I don't want to lie to you either." The blond explained.

"And why can't you tell the truth to us?" Ketsui started to lose her temper. Barako weighed her answer for a long time and looked a bit awkward. "I've seen things which I shouldn't have seen and now I'm escapin' away from them. And if you get to know somethin' about them you'll be in this very same situation as I am."

"Okay, if that was a joke it wasn't a good one." Ketsui snapped.

"'Cause it isn't!" Barako shouted to her short-tempered friend. "And for your information; I'm not stayin' here a very long time, only four days."

Mizuki sighed: "Barako-kun, we are just worried about you. You suddenly disappear and when you finally call, you tell nothing. And you called only that one time. Then, after three months missing you come back but you're still ready to disappear again. So what has happened? We wanna know so we can help you."

"…Can we go away from here?" Barako asked. "There is too much people here…"

"But it's only us and four others here." Ketsui wondered.

"…Please."

"Ketsui, let's go. Barako looks a bit pale." Mizuki said.

"Ah, okay. I'll just pay our foods and come then." Ketsui agreed and walked to the counter where the cafeteria's waitress Azusa Enomoto was. Barako nodded and walked outside. Mizuki followed her.

"Barako-kun, are you okay?" She asked.

"Fine now. I just need some fresh air." The blond smiled.

"Are gonna tell now what has happened?" Ketsui asked as she stepped out from the cafeteria. They started to continue their walk to another part of Beika district.

"No, it's better for you if you don't know. But when I come back to stay I'll tell you everything. I promise."

* * *

The girls walked past a European styled house. There were bunch of kids in front of a house next to the previously mentioned house. Barako counted six of them. Six little kids from Teitan elementary school. Yume's friends, Shonen Tantei-dan and Nendo.

"Oh no, not those kids." Ketsui mumbled.

"Why not?" Mizuki asked.

"Do you know what it's like when seven little brats are in same room playing video games?"

"Nope."

"No need to know. I can say it's horrible."

Barako smirked to that statement. They had been at Ketsui's place a week ago playing video games. And it had been a kind of mess. Well, Ayumi, Conan and Ai hadn't played much but Genta, Mitsuhiko and Nendo had been pretty loud voiced. Yume/Barako herself had played pretty much but mostly cheered Nendo.

"Neecchan!" Nendo exclaimed and flitted into Ketsui. The both Seihôkeis fell down.

"Nendo! You should watch out a bit!" Ketsui shouted to the boy. Barako lifted the little boy up and Mizuki helped Ketsui.

"You okay, Nendo-chan?" She asked.

" Hai!" Nendo smiled. "Hey, you're back, Barako-neecchan!"

"As you see."

"I haven't ever understood how you two get along so well." Ketsui huffed.

"C'mon, Kecchan. He is the most tolerable of your siblings." Barako huffed back and grinned then. "And he is kind of cute too."

"Cute? He? You are not 24/7 with him! You don't know what he is like!" Ketsui implied back. Barako let Nendo down from her lap and asked from the boy: "Are those five your friends?"

"Yup! They are from my class. I can introduce them to you!" The boy grabbed Barako's hand and led her closer.

"Guys, this is my sister's friend Barako Nisshoku." Nendo explained to his friends. "And Barako-neecchan, these are Shonen Tantei-dan; Genta Kojima, Ayumi Yoshida, Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya, Conan Edogawa and Ai Haibara." The boy pointed every kid as he said his/hers name.

"Why didn't we see you last week at Ketsui-neecchan's place? Mizuki-neecchan was there." Ayumi asked.

"I had some business elsewhere…" Barako answered.

"Talking about last week… Where have you lost your friend? That blond girl?" Ketsui asked.

"_She does have a name too…_" Barako though.

"We haven't lost her anywhere." Genta answered. "Yume-chan wasn't at school today."

"Yeah, she gave us a call and told that she is spending this weekend with her parents." Mitsuhiko continued.

"And coming back to school on next Monday." Ayumi added when Barako's cell phone vibrated twice in the pocket of her jeans. She took it out from the pocket. Two messages had come.

"By the way, are you still using the same old ring tone?" Ketsui asked. "Isn't it a bit childish?"

"Maybe but I like it. It's somethin' I don't want to forget." Barako smiled as she put the cell back to pocket without checking the messages.

"What ring tone is it?" Mitsuhiko asked.

"Nanatsu no ko. And she won't change it." Mizuki answered to the kids.

"Didn't Yume-chan have the same ring tone? She changed it two days ago." Ayumi remembered.

"It must be a coincidence." Conan said to other kids. "It's not uncommon to keep well known songs as a ring tone."

"But keeping that song as a ring tone…" Genta mumbled.

"…is a bit childish." Mitsuhiko continued.

"And you are a high-schooler, aren't you, Barako-neecchan?" Ayumi asked.

"What is wrong with you? Can't I have whatever ring tone I want?" "_Gosh, I can't believe I played with you six…_" Barako frowned as she glared the kids. Ayumi snickered.

"Barako-kun, we have to go. I bet you want to borrow my notes about lessons you have missed." Ketsui pulled Barako's hand.

"Roger! Bye, kids! Maybe we will meet again!" Barako grinned and followed Ketsui and Mizuki.

* * *

"_She looked exactly like Kuroi-chan. Why? And resembled someone else too…_" Ai though.

"Haibara, what's up?" Conan asked when they were walking in Agasa's house.

"That Barako, she resembles someone…"

"Really? Who?"

"Vermouth."

"What? You can't be serious. She can't be Vermouth." Conan left out a shocked laugh.

"Why not? The hair color was same and the shape of her eyes." The girl raised her eyebrows.

"Because you didn't hide behind me or run to the house." Conan reasoned.

"Fine then, but I tell you one thing. I don't trust in Kuroi or Nisshoku. I have a bad feeling about them."

"But I trust in Kuroi and I don't understand why you are so strongly against her."

Ai left Conan to the front yard of Agasa's house and followed the other kids in. "_You wouldn't understand if I told you. And in fact you don't need to know. At least not yet…_"

* * *

Barako sighed and opened the front door of her family's apartment. She stepped in the hall and closed the door. The hall wasn't very big and slippers which usually were in a good order had been put into a closet. "Hello? Anybody home?" Barako asked and heard some quick footsteps.

"Neecchan! You're back!" A thirteen-year old boy exclaimed and hugged Barako.

"Yeah, I'm home. I'm glad to see you Iwa-kun." She ruffled the boy's hair and smiled.

"But where were you? Otô-san was worried and so was I."

"I was hiding in the middle of nowhere." Barako joked.

"Playing hide and seek? You are too old for that."

"And who is saying that?"

"I am!"

"Funny…" Barako mumbled as Iwa let her go. "Is Risei-san still at work?"

"He is on his way back here. And you should call him otô-san."

"I know, but nowadays I don't feel like it."

Iwa led Barako away from the hall and observed her the whole time.

"Iwa-kun, you don't need to stare me like that. I'm not goin' anywhere…" Barako complained. "_…yet._"

The doorbell rang and the front door opened. A very tired Risei Nisshoku came in. "I'm home." He yawned.

"Otô-san! Guess who came!" Iwa shouted from the living room.

"I'm too tired to guess anything, Iwa." The inspector yawned again. "We had two murders, five car-accidents and a few robberies during this day." Another yawn and some steps from the hall.

"Barako-neechan came back." Iwa led Barako back to the hall.

"Am I some kind of a dog?" The girl muttered.

"Barako-chan…" Risei whispered with surprisement. "How…? Why…?"

"I see you have a lot of questions but -" Barako didn't manage to finish the fragment when Risei hugged her.

"You're home. You're finally home. That is the only thing that matters right now."

"Yeah." Barako closed her eyes and hugged back. "_I'm home but I still have to leave too soon. I have so much to tell to everyone but I can't. I must not tell… But if I don't tell someone I'll blow up. Who I could tell? Ren! I have to tell to Ren-san._"

* * *

**A/N: There is not very much Japanese words anymore so I think I'm not gonna use my little "Japanese-English wordbook"...**

**In next chapter a tragedy will take a place but not today...**


	18. Fire!

**A/N: Now you'll meet Ren. (Finally!) I really love her and I feel sad because I had to kill her but it was necessary. And yes, she is speaking in the same way than Barako do. Without 'g' in the end of some words...**

**And that part the news reader said... I haven't written it. At first there was my version but my beta gave another ver which sounded more... offical. I thank her deeply.**

* * *

"By the way, Barako-neecchan, you got a letter today. I took it to your room." Iwa said as Risei let Barako go.

"Really? From who?" Barako asked when she checked her messages that had come earlier to her phone. One was from Ren-san and the other from Yume's e-mail 'friend'.

"I didn't open it. So I don't know…"

Barako hit the boys head with her phone. "Of course you don't open it if it's mine, baka."

"Yes yes, but you could still let me tell the whole thing before hitting me."

"Well, spit it out then."

"I think it's from okaa-san. It had come from Kyôto…" Barako rushed to her room. "… and the handwriting was very similar to okaa-san's."

Barako found an envelope from her desk and opened it immediately. There was a letter and several other papers inside the envelope.

"_Dear Barako_

_I haven't heard anything about you in last three months. How are you? I hope everything is fine but I'm worried. The book I wrote, Ravens' Call… might cause problems to me. I'll send these pictures to you because if something happens to me I want that you know what is going on._

_How should I start? At first you have to know that there is a certain organization in Japan. Well, it has some connections in other countries too but mostly works in Japan. (Japan's police forces don't know about that organization so I hope that you don't tell Risei about it.) I don't know much about the Org but I had been a member of it. I retired a several months ago but they don't like when someone leaves the Org. Right now they are (or were) after their scientist who left the Org. Her name is Shiho Miyano and she was known as Sherry. Yes, the high-ranked members have a code name. Mine was Cider. I wasn't very high-ranked but… I still had it._

_And why can the book cause problems? It's because it's about the happenings during my "career" in the Org but mostly the disappearances of Shinichi Kudô and Shiho Miyano. The book itself has not very much information about the Org and doesn't contain the facts but I still feel a bit doubtful. Kudô-kun and Miyano-chan could also be in danger if the Org takes everything in my book seriously._

_I could continue writing forever but now I just tell you about the pictures. They are the most high-ranked and members who also appeared in the book. You should know them. I wrote more to those pictures just make sure no one else see them. I hope you are doing well and don't get any problems with the Org._

_Love  
Ren_"

Barako read the letter again and again. After reading she had to sit down to her bed and calm down. She opened the envelope again and took the papers inside it. Eight paper sheets and one picture per sheet. All pictures had some text under which contained the code name and the name which was used in Ravens' Call. In the book the codenames had been from the points of the compass. Barako took the first paper. She remembered the man in the picture. He had been in the Haido Park.

"_Code name: Gin  
Name in the book: Higashi (__East__)  
Cold blooded killer, very intelligent, left handed, drives a black Porsche 356A._"

The next one Barako didn't know. But the texts said that he probably were in Haido Park too.

"_Code name: Vodka  
Name in the book: Tônan (__South east__)  
Maybe a bit stupid, his partner is Gin._"

Barako checked the other papers too.

"_Code name: Vermouth, real name Sharon/Chris Vineyard  
Name in the book: Minami (__South__), real name Christine Warden  
The master of disguise, also smart but also very secretive._"

"_Code name: Sherry, real name Shiho Miyano  
Name in the book: Nishi (__West__)  
Scientist, escaped from the Org, they are going kill her when they find her._"

"_Code name: Kir, real name Rena Mizunashi  
Name in the book: Nansei (__South west__)  
I think there is something more behind her but I'm not sure…_"

"_Code name: Chianti  
Name in the book: Hokusei (__North west__)  
Sniper, has a butterfly tattoo under her left eye_"

"_Code name: Korn  
Name in the book: Tôhoku (__North East__)  
Sniper, works with Chianti_"

"_Code name: Rye aka Dai Moroboshi, real name Shuichi Akai  
Name in the book: Dan Brimstone, real name John Red  
He was a spy from the FBI but had to retire two years ago._"

Barako knew the man in the last picture. He had followed her, Ketsui and Mizuki in New York. "_But I still wonder why…_" She opened both messages from her phone. Ren's said: "Have you already read my letter?" And Yume's e-mail friend's one said: "Your nightmare has just begun…"

* * *

Meanwhile in Kyôto

Ren cooked the supper in the kitchen of her parents' house. The kitchen was pretty small and had nice light blue tiles above the worktop which was made from black stone. She was just cutting vegetables when she smelled a weird smell, like rotten eggs. Were the plumbing leaking or something? She went to the basement and tried to switch the lights on. Nothing happened. Luckily she had a lighter in her pocket. But when she lighted her lighter the flame burst huge. The fire encircled Ren and her clothes caught fire. The basement was full of gas! Ren tried to escape from the basement and smother the flames on her clothes when someone suddenly knocked her down. Ren fell on her knees but that someone hit her again and her face met the concrete floor of the basement. Ren barely stayed conscious.

"Don't take it personally. I'm just doing my job." A woman with an American accent said as she turned off the gas and the fire died down. Ren breathed heavily. After the hit to her head she felt dizzy and couldn't move. The woman kneeled beside Ren and smiled a bit. "And don't worry about your parents. They'll follow you soon. But unlike you, they will die in their sleep. I'm going to make you suffer."

"Why?" Ren whispered but didn't see the face of the woman.

"Why? Your little book has been a bit vexatious to our organization…"

"Nani? You, Vermouth?" Ren was surprised.

"Correct, dear Cider. But I have to say it was pretty hard to found you. You retired from the organization and from your teaching post in Teitan high-school and published your book with your maiden name. But you had vanished just like your adoptive daughter did three months ago."

"What? Has somethin' happened to Barako?"

"She just got one portion of Apoptoxin 4869. But don't worry, she is fine."

"And how you know about it?"

"Every Friday I have sent an e-mail message to her, or should I say Yume Kuroi as she is known nowadays. She also has some friends too for example Shinichi Kudô, my silver bullet; and Sherry, our ex-scientist. But Sherry doesn't seem to trust in her."

"How do you know about those two?"

"I can't tell you everything even though you're going to die because as you know 'A secret makes a woman woman.' And now is my question's turn…"

"Why Barako? What has she done to the organization to deserve that?" Ren tried to shout but managed only cough. Vermouth giggled.

"She was just in the wrong place in the wrong time. She happened to see Gin's face in Haido Park after he and Vodka had killed one person and… Well, you know Gin and you know the style of the organization: no witnesses." She explained. "Hey, don't glare me like that. Be happy it was Gin who doesn't remember faces of the ones he had killed. Your daughter is alive but the organization will never know it."

Ren sighed. "I'm fine if I die, but what about Barako?"

"Well, she shouldn't be in danger for a while. Only if I tell about her to Anokata. " Vermouth took a bottle and poured its contents on Ren. The strong smell of fuel filled Ren's nostrils and made her grimace.

"You just know too much. That is the only reason why you have to disappear. If you hadn't written that book you might have lived a bit longer." Vermouth said softly and rose. "Where are the original sketches of your book?"

"I sent them forward… But you said Barako is not in danger yet…" Ren said and tried to sit up. "You said she is in danger only if you tell to Anokata."

"Yes, I said. So?"

"Are you gonna tell to him then?" Ren asked when she finally managed to rose. "Are you gonna tell that some of them who have been poisoned with APTX 4869 are still alive?"

"No. But why should I tell _you_ the truth?"

"Because I know that I can trust in you. And now, when I see you properly, I know that you're not gonna put her in to danger." Ren managed to smile a bit. Vermouth didn't say anything. She just turned on the gas and left the basement. Outside the house she lit a cigarette and threw it inside the gas-filled house. In the couple of seconds the house blazed against the winter sky. Vermouth smirked: "_I think I know where the sketches are… It seems they are in the right place…_"

* * *

Barako was watering some plants on the window-sill in the living room when she got a bad feeling and another e-mail came to her cell phone. "_The se__cond one during this day…_" She opened the message.

"Orange flames are beautiful, aren't they?"

Iwa came to the living room as Barako went to the kitchen to fill the watering can. He opened the television.

"_Today about 5 p.m. the house of Kajiya family caught fire in what fire fighters say to be a gas explosion. The house was majorly damaged and three severely burned corpses have been found inside. The corpses have been identified as the house residents and their daughter... _" The news reader read from her papers in front of her. Behind her was a picture of the house on fire. When Barako heard what the news reader had said she dropped the watering can. She and Risei ran into the living room. Iwa looked confused.

"What's up now? I don't understand." He asked.

"Iwa-kun, do you really have that bad memory?" Barako shouted and began to cry. Risei had also problems to stay calm too. He left the living room to his and Ren's bed room and closed the door behind. Iwa grabbed Barako's wrists and pulled her hands away in front of her face.

"Neechan! Explain! Why are you crying?" He shouted.

"Ren-san's maiden name was Kajiya and that house… that house is her parents' home." Barako covered her face again and ran to her room. Iwa stood quiet but started to cry too.

"No… no… Someone, please anyone, say that isn't true… I don't wanna believe it… Say it isn't true…" He cried. Barako lied on her bed and had calmed down a bit. She heard every word her brother had said. "_I'm sorry Iwa-kun. I'd love to say it isn't true but… but I don't like lyin'._" She hid her face in the pillows and cried silently.

* * *

**A/N: Allright, now the introducion is over and is time for some action I think... And I'm thanking you who has put my fic in their Favourite fics or put a notification e-mail coming when this is updated. I only hope that you also review. (I don't bite.) Mostly I wanna know are the original DC-characters like they should be or are they OOC.**

**Thank you again and see you ltr.**


	19. A white dove that brings comfort

**A/N: Here is this chapter. I haven't anything to say this time but enjoy this chap.**

* * *

Barako leaned against the balcony banister. She was tired and sad. Ren-san had been killed, Barako was sure about it. Killed by that organization which was mentioned in the letter. By the same organization which had shrunk her, Kudô and killed many other people. "_Ren-san, why did you write that bloody book? Did you do it because of your distress? I saw how depressed you were sometimes…_" She heard some noises from the living room. Iwa was watching TV but at the same time he wasn't. He only looked to the direction where the television was but didn't _watch_ it. A repeat of yesterday's news was coming there. In those news people told that Kyôto's fire had been an accident. The gas had leaked and in the living room there had been lots of cigarettes of the mark Ren and her father had used. And her father was found from the living room. Police had reasoned that he had fallen asleep when he had been smoking. But they couldn't explain why Ren's body was in the basement and why she was much more burnt than her parents were.

Suddenly something white flew beside Barako and sat on her shoulder. It was a pure white dove. Barako knew that bird. It belonged to Kaito. There was a message tied in dove's leg. Carefully Barako took it away and opened it. There were only two words written in it.

"Wanna meet?" Barako read aloud and looked down from the balcony. She saw Kaito five stairs below on the pavement waving to her. He had the familiar smile on his face. The smile which made the blond much happier.

"Otô-san, I'm going out!" Barako shouted and closed the front door behind her. She ran the stairs and came to the fresh winter air.

"Whoa! That was quick. When I'm waiting Aoko it takes at least a half an hour until she is ready." Kaito joked and ruffled her hair.

"Oh, c'mon, I ran all those freakin' stairs down. And from the fifth floor!" Barako complained.

"Hey, you seem much brighter now." Kaito smiled.

"Yeah, I'm in much better mood right now." Barako smiled back. "_I don't understand why but I don't know how to be sad with you…_" They started walking to the nearest park. "Kaito, why did you come? Ekoda isn't in next door…" Barako asked.

"Well, I saw yesterday's news and though that you might be down. So, I came here to cheer you up."

"A-arigatô, Kaito… I'm happy you came." Barako felt how her cheeks got a color.

"And because it's Saturday I can spend this whole day with you, Baracchan."

"Don't use that nick name. It's so childish…"

"Childish? I heard from Seihôkei-chan that you are still using Nanatsu no ko as a ring tone." Kaito pointed out.

"Ah, why did Kecchan tell you about it?" Barako was surprised.

"She called me yesterday and we talked about many things."

Barako mumbled something to her scarf but the boy did hear it. But finally she smiled and changed the subject. "Kaito, have you had any Kid's heists recently?"

"Nope, it seems Jirokichi Suzuki-san hadn't got any valuable gems to his collections and hadn't sent a writ to..." Kaito looked around. "…me."

"I see." They continued chatting and the dove which had brought the message to Barako sat on Kaito's shoulder.

* * *

"I you sure you wanna go home now?" Kaito asked after an hour when Barako suggested that she could go home.

"In fact not, there is so depressin' atmosphere there. And after all Ren-san was Iwa-kun's mother and Risei-san's wife. They already were a family before I came. For me Ren-san was more like a friend or older sister than a mother… I'll let them be alone with their sorrow. Maybe it's the best I can do right now…"

"Are you saying that seriously? That you are an outsider?" Kaito asked. "You don't mean that, do you?"

"What are you talkin' about? Of course I'm sayin' it seriously!" Barako shouted.

"You are crying."

"Ah…" Barako hadn't noticed the tears on her cheeks and tried to wipe them away when Kaito hugged her.

"Baracchan, you are not an outsider. I know you loved Ren-san like a mother. And you are as sad as your father and brother are." He said as Barako cried against him.

* * *

"It was a bit embarrasin'…" Barako mumbled when she and Kaito stood in front of Barako's home.

"Why do you think so?" Kaito grinned.

"Because if someone saw us…"

"Oh… it might cause rumors about us two?"

Barako nodded and blushed a bit.

"Well, I don't care about the rumors. And you shouldn't either. If someone wants to gossip I just say: 'Go ahead!'" Kaito grinned. "

"Yeah, maybe you are right…" Barako smiled. Kaito took the dove from his shoulder and placed it to Barako's.

"His name is Shiro. I'll give him to you." He explained.

"Thank you, but why?"

"Why do I give him to you? Because I don't want you to be lonely."

Kaito left and Barako followed him for a while but finally turned around and climbed the stairs up to the fifth floor. She opened the door and left her shoes to the hall. She heard no voices from the apartment.

"Risei-san? Iwa-kun? Anybody?"

"_Maybe they are somewhere havin' a lunch…_" She though and went to her room. There Shiro flew on the bookshelf and chirped joyfully. Barako opened one of the drawers of her desk and took its fake bottom off. Between the real bottom and the fake one she kept her treasures. There were some old photos from elementary school, her drawings and Kid's monocle. She had got it in Kid's heist in the crossing of Kinza Street. When Edogawa-kun had kicked his soccer ball during Kid's escape he had knocked his monocle away. And the monocle had fallen to Barako's hood. But no one else knew about the monocle because she had noticed it only back at home and hadn't told about it to anyone.

Barako took Ren's letter and put it to the drawer. She placed the fake bottom back and closed the drawer. "_How many secrets do I have to keep? Kaito's, Ren-san's, Kudô-kun's and my own ones…_" She yawned and collapsed on her bed. "I hope no one understood it in the wrong way…" She muttered half asleep. "But if someone did… I can't help it." Shiro chirped from the bookshelf and made the blond smile. "But in any situation I'm gonna support Kaito. That is my job as his childhood friend…"

* * *

At the other side of Tôkyo Aoko was doing her homework when her cell phone rang.

"Moshi, moshi?"

"_Aoko, you never guess what I saw!"_ A girl's voice said from the phone.

"Keiko? Hmm, what did you see then?"

"_I saw your husband Kaito and Nisshoku-chan together. And they looked like they had been on a date."_

"What do you mean by my _husband_? And why you think they were on a date?"

"_Because they were talking the whole time I followed them and Nisshoku-chan was blushing sometimes. And once she leaned against Kaito's shoulder."_

"So? Why are you telling that to me? Me and Kaito have nothing between us. And if he wants to hang out with Barako that's fine."

"_I can't understand your attitude!"_

"Did you have anything else?" Aoko asked coldly.

"_No, see you on Monday!"_ The call ended and Aoko placed her phone back next to her pencil case.

"_Stupid Kaito…_"

* * *

**A/N: So, a bit KaiAo or KaiBara what ever you like... plz rvw!**


	20. Goodbye and sorry

**A/N: I've managed to make these chapters longer. I'm happy about it. ^_^**

**Well, here is the newest "chapiteer". I got this back from my beta yesterday. Thank you, Micchan!**

**I hope you like this chapter. Now you'll finally know what was written in the paper inside Barako's locket.**

* * *

Sunday morning in Haido district. The sun peeked behind the curtains and woke Barako up. She yawned as she rose up and walked to the kitchen. Iwa was already up.

"Morning, neechan!" He mumbled behind his cocoa cup.

"Mornin'…" Barako mumbled back. She made a sandwich as a breakfast and went back to her room to eat it. Shiro was still sleeping.

"_I have to make my decision. I have two pills of antidote left. I can use them today and tomorrow… or I can leave now as yesterday's pill is workin' and use those two pills later… And I don't wanna break in Agasa's again…_" Barako weighed. "_Maybe I'm leavin' now… After breakfast and before Risei-san wakes up. I just have to write a letter and tell him not to worry. And also pack some things with me._"

Barako changed her clothes. From her pyjama to light blue jeans and a grey jumper. She took her back pack and started packing. Some clothes of Yume's size and Ren's letter with the pictures in it. "_Do I need anything else? …Ravens' Call, maybe it's good if I read it and keep it with me. Maybe I'll find some clues from there…_" She took the heavy book from the bookshelf and woke up Shiro. The bird was going to chirp but Barako whispered: "_Shhh_, not now Shi-kun. Later, don't wake Risei-san up." The bird stared at her but stood quiet. Barako packed the last few things and peeked out from the door of her room. Iwa had gone to his room and had maybe fallen asleep again. Barako opened the window of her room and let Shiro go. "Wait for me…" She said to the bird as she closed the window.

She sneaked through the apartment and left a letter in front of a mirror in the hall. Before closing the front door Barako took in the hall and whispered: "I'm sorry I have to leave like this…" She closed the door quietly behind. Barako climbed the stairs down and walked out from the glass doors of the first floor. Soon Shiro flew on her shoulder and chirped a bit.

"Thanks, Shi-kun. I know you understand how hard is to leave the ones who love the most." Barako said and looked at her wrist watch. It was eight o'clock. "_Two more hours left…_" She thought but didn't continue when a huge pain stroke her.

_Dommm…_ Barako almost fainted. It was already starting. At any moment she would be Yume again.

_Dommm…_ She started to run to the Haido –park which was near. And there were some public toilets where she could change her clothes. Barako dashed through the park and found the toilets. She slammed the door closed. The pain grew stronger and much more horrible.

"Iyaaaa!" She screamed. The pain burnt her body but died quickly down. A seven-year old blond girl sat in the corner of the toilet and panted heavily. Slowly she took her jacket off and pulled her over-sized jumper over her head. "_Hmm… Maybe November wasn't the best month to come back. It's freezing here._"

* * *

Yume rang the doorbell of Kisaki's Law Practice. She heard some steps and the door opened. Eri smiled to her. "Ah, Yume-chan, welcome back! Did you have nice time with your parents?" She asked when Yume took her jacket off and put the slippers on.

"Yup! We went to an onsen. And I… Achoo!"

"Oh dear, you caught a cold there? Well, you are not the only one. It's not uncommon to catch a cold from onsen. Especially if there are outdoor baths there."

"Snif… Yeah, I know. But I'm sure I can go to school tomorrow!" Yume stated. "Achoo!"

"No, you have to rest. Go to your room now, I'll make you something to eat." Eri ordered as she took Yume's back pack.

"Yes, Eri-san…" Yume mumbled and loitered to her room.

* * *

Risei Nisshoku had though he had seen everything during his career in Japan's Police Forces. But this was something he hadn't ever seen. His daughter had disappeared, come back and disappeared again. This time she had left a letter but it didn't explain enough.

"_Risei- __Otô-san,_

_I'm really sorry but I have to go again. This time you'll know it right away. I can't tell the reason but it's related to __Ren-__ Okaa-san's death. You and Iwa-kun are in better safe if you don't know. My friends don't know either. If someone asks where I'm just say this to him/her: '__Need not to know__', because it's no needed to know.  
Bye until this… nightmare is over._

_Love  
Barako Nisshoku/ Lily Warden"_

"'Nightmare'… hmh. You choose your words well. Why can't I help you? What are you hiding Barako-chan?" Risei though aloud. "Is this something that even polices can help with it? What is that?"

* * *

Yume lied on her bed and was reading again the paper bit she had found inside her locket.

"_Lily Warden… That is a name you must not forget, Barako, because it is your real name.  
When you read this you might already be a big girl. Don't forget who you are. I love you and so did your father.  
We gave you a Japanese name too because half of your roots belongs to Japan. No matter where you are, we are always thinking about you._

_Take care  
Your mother Christine Warden"_

Tears appeared to Yume's eyes. "This is so confusing mother. Where are you now? Where is father? What did you mean by 'so _did_ your father'? Is father already dead? What has happened?" She whispered against her pillow. Her cell phone which lied on the floor rang. Yume checked who had sent the message.

"Not now… Why can't _she_ leave me alone?" But she still picked her phone up and opened the message.

"_The answer can be found closer than you think…"_

* * *

**A/N: All kind of feedback is welcome. The next chapter is coming some day...**


	21. Fever

**A/N: Okay, this fic has been on hiatus for a while. I just hadn't had any feeling for writing even though I have a clear plot in my mind...**

**Anyways, I had planned a "Little Pause" before this chapter but I forget it. Besides it was about Ravens' Call and I've already told you about it in Ren's letter and in this chapter you'll know how that book starts. I tried my best with it but I'm not very good in writing "books"... Luckily my Beta helped me. Thank you, M-chan!**

* * *

Yume coughed. It was Monday and she wasn't feeling any better.

"Stupid side-effects… Now I really hope I hadn't met those two… 'Gin' and 'Vodka'…" She murmured behind her bed-sheets.

Eri knocked at the door of Yume's room and opened it. "Yume-chan, your friends came to see you."

"Yay… Achoo! I hope they don't catch a cold too." Yume tried to joke when six kids came to the room.

"Hi, Yume-chan!" Nendo greeted. "How are ya?"

"Fine thanks, how about you guys?" Yume asked as she rose up and leant against pillows.

"Great, but a bit hungry." Genta answered.

"You just ate your lunch." Mitsuhiko pointed out.

"Don't worry, I'll prepare some small snacks for you." Eri said and disappeared to the kitchen.

"She has improved her cookin' skills." Yume said. "So, I think we'll be able to eat what she is goin' to make…"

"Yume-chan… Is that dove yours?" Ayumi asked and pointed at Shiro.

"Yes and no. Barako-neechan asked me to take care of him. His name is Shiro but I'm callin' him Shi-kun."

* * *

While Yume talked with other kids Ai took a step closer to Conan and said: "Something happened on last Thursday, at 3.17 pm."

"We were playing football in a park." The boy answered.

"Everyone except Kuroi. And someone broke in my lab and stole some antidote"

"What? This is bad. Was anything else stolen?"

"Nothing else. The thief knew what she was looking for and where to find it. Pretty talented thief I would say."

"…"

"You can't fool me. You suggested the football in the park and kept me away from the professor's house while Kuroi stole the antidote."

"You seem to be sure of what you're saying but do you have any proofs?" The little detective asked.

"I do. She was very careful but left one thing there. One straight blond hair about thirty centimeters long. How many girls do we know with a hair like that?"

"Two? Kuroi-chan and Nisshoku-san?"

Ai gave him an angry glance: "I'm sure those two are one and the same, like Conan Edogawa and Shinichi Kudô."

"Why don't you just ask her? Then you would know the answer."

"I'll ask when I feel like it." Ai stated. The conversation had ended.

* * *

"Yume-chan, are you reading that book? Isn't it in English?" Mitsuhiko asked suddenly.

"Yes, it is. The name is Ravens' Call. I really like this book even though it's pretty thick." Yume smiled. "The plot is so interestin' and the characters are so realistic."

"Who has written it?" Nendo asked.

"Barako-neechan's mother. But unfortunately she is not able to write the second part."

"Eh, but then you won't know how the story continues." Ayumi said worriedly.

"Yeah, but Ren Kajiya died on last Friday." Yume stated without any emotion in her voice.

"Died?" Shônen Tanteis said in unison.

"Did you know her well, Kuroi?" Ai asked.

"Pretty well, she was like a mother to me."

"I see, I'm truly sorry for you." The brown haired girl continued. Yume sensed sarcasm in her voice. Others seemed not to notice it.

"Thank you but you don't have to. I'm alright." Yume flashed a quick fake smile to Ai. Ai smiled back and turned towards Conan then.

"What was that?" Conan asked.

"I asked. Kuroi and Nisshoku really are one and the same."

"I didn't get that."

"Ren Kajiya was a member of Black Organization when I still was there even though I never met her. And if I understood Kuroi's answers in the right way, she just admitted that she is Barako Nisshoku." The girl explained. "But I'll ask more later."

* * *

The kids talked for a while until Eri came in and said that Yume would need some rest. When the kids left Yume took the book from her bedside-table and started reading it from the beginning.

_He was Shinji Kuroi, famous high-school detective who had solved more crimes than he could even remember. Who was proud about his deduction skills that exceeded many polices. Who was helping polices all the time.  
Everything should have been fine and safe; perfect in all ways. But it wasn't. He was a real murder magnet. Everywhere he went a gruesome and complex murder took a place and caused problems to police. But every single time he managed to solve the case with his brightness. Maybe that was the reason why he was so famous. He was The Savior of Japanese Police.  
But one day… he met his fate. He met a person who had waited for a long time for the chance to put an end to him and his deductions. Later Shinji would curse his luck and curiosity. He had got an eternal enemy._

"_Ne, Shinji, where are you going?" A girl with dark-brown wavy hair asked. She was Natsumi Nori, Shinji's childhood friend. She had had a date with Shinji in an amusement park and on her way home with him. But Shinji had something else in his mind. Something that had caught his interest._

"_Gomen, Natsumi-chan, I'll go ahead. See you tomorrow!" The boy waved as a goodbye and ran to the darkness. Natsumi watched after him but turned around and continued her way home._

"_Stupid, Shinji… We just witnessed a murder and he solved it. But he is still thinking about something stupid and leaving me. Now I have to go home… alone. What was he thinking?" She mumbled to her scarf with some tears in her eyes. "And why I have a bad feeling about this?"_

* * *

**A/N: Is there anything I need to explain? I don't find any. But if you do, ask. I'll try to answer.**

**I don't remember how, Ai called Yume but I guessed she would be pretty impolite since she don't like her... I like her and Yume's sarcasm in this chapter.**

**And Ravens' Call is written in English but I didn't underlined it. It could have looked messy...**

**Well, anyways. Plz review, I'm not sure when the next chapter will come.**


	22. The loneliness

**A/N: Whee I finally wrote this chapter. I'm sorry about the name of this chapter. I had a lack of imagination when I was naming this...**

**Anyways, this time I wanna thank all of you who have added this fic to their favorites. Now I only hope you'll also tell your opinion too. Don't worry, I don't bite. :)**

* * *

"Yume-chan! Wait!"

Yume turned around and saw Ayumi running towards her. The dark-haired girl stopped when she finally reached the blond. She leaned against her knees and panted heavily under her schoolbag.

"Eh, you okay Ayumi-chan?" Yume asked.

"Yeah." Ayumi smiled. "I just ran a bit."

"A bit?" Yume repeated. "You seem you have run a lot."

"Only from the corner of the library to here."

"From there? That is over a hundred meters!"

"So? You were walking pretty fast."

Yume sighed. Maybe the distances were shorter when one was in a hurry or wanted to reach something. "But why are you goin' to school now? It's starting after an hour." She asked instead of mentioning something about running recklessly around.

"I'm going to take care of our schools rabbit. She is so cute!"

"I see…" Yume had seen the rabbit only once but she still admitted that she definitely was cute. All girls in their class adored that rabbit.

"By the way, Yume-chan… Why are _you_ going to school now?"

"I'm going to ask homework from Kobayashi-sensei. After all I was absent for a few days and I don't want to fall behind." The blond explained. "So, that rabbit… Is she doin' well?"

"Yeah, she is absolutely fine but I just like to go to see her sometimes. Do you want to come with me, Yume-chan?"

"I'd like to." Yume smiled.

* * *

The school day ended. Yume was on her way home and couldn't believe how tired she was. Elementary school should be easy! Or then she was tired because of turning back a teenager and then a kid again. She was deep in her thoughts but got interrupted by Nendo.

"Yume-chan! Why are you walking alone?" He asked.

"I just…"

"You have avoided us during this day." Genta joined in the conversation. Other Shonen Tanteis were behind him.

"Why, Yume-chan? Has something bad happened?" Ayumi joined.

"Let me guess… You still get those messages than before. From that weird woman." Mitsuhiko guessed.

"Nani? Absolutely not!" Yume exclaimed. "She is not bothering me anymore." She said. _"I still have got more weird messages but do you really think I'm telling it to you…"_ She thought herself.

"Are you coming sick _again_?" Ai stated instead of asking. Yume didn't like the way she said it but still gave a smile to her.

"No, don't worry. I'm absolutely fine."

"Good, because we are having a pajama party in professor and Ai-chan's place." Ayumi told. "And it would be very pity if you can't come."

"Pajama party? When is it?" Yume asked and didn't care about Ai's evil and icy glare in her back.

"Next Friday. We are doing everything fun!" Nendo smiled.

"Say, Yume-chan… Have you ever been in a pajama party?" Genta asked.

"Eh, well…" Yume thought hard. _"I might be easier to say I haven't but I don't want to lie… I was at Kecchan's place two years ago but…"_

"Hello? Kuroi-chan?" Mitsuhiko hooted. "Did you already fall asleep?"

"Ah, no. I think I can come on Friday." Yume smiled nervously. "I haven't been in a pajama party before."

"Eh, you haven't?" Shonen Tanteis said in unision.

"No, I haven't." She repeated. "I'm pretty excited right now."

* * *

"I'm home!"

"Yume-chan, how was your school day? Did you manage to catch up the others?" Eri asked when Yume dropped her school back to the floor.

"Yup. Conan-kun and others helped me a lot." The girl smiled. _"Actually it was a piece of cake to catch up on my own but I can't say it…"_

"That's good to hear."

"Nee, Eri-san… Conan-kun and others are having a pyjama party on next Friday. Can I go?"

"Of course you can. And… I'm really happy for you, Yume-chan."

"Huh?"

"You have got a lot of new friends during this month and I'm happy about it. You seemed a bit… lonely when I met you at the first time." Eri explained. Yume stood quiet for a while.

"Arigatô, Eri-san…" She managed to say. "I- I'm going to do my homework!" Yume hurried to her room. It was true… She had really been lonely even when she had been with Ketsui and Mizuki and others. When had it started? Since when had she started to forget how important and special friends she already had? And when had she started to be on her own? Locking herself away to her room…

Yume knew the answer. After her trip to New York she had started to think too much about her past she had forgotten and stood in her room in loneliness. And after she had met Gin and Vodka she had had to hide and keep even more secrets. A lonely tear floated down on Yume's cheek.

* * *

Elsewhere, a meeting room in Organization's HQ

Vermouth sat on a sofa smoking and reading a magazine without paying attention to anyone or anything else in the same room. After a while she put the magazine away, rose and left the room, still smoking. On the corridor she passed some other organization members. They didn't say anything to her only nodded a bit or just passed her by. Only one of them stopped when he was a meter away from her. Vermouth stopped and looked to his cold green eyes.

"What's up, Gin?" She asked.

"Where are you going?" The silver-haired man asked.

"Just to rest a bit. Meetings are so tiring. And my presence is not needed right now…" Vermouth blew some smoke to Gin's face knowing it would annoy him.

"Hmph, you really do whatever you want…" Gin waved his hand to break down the smoke cloud. "Boss might allow you do so, but I don't trust in you. You are far too secretive…" He said as he passed the blond woman. Vermouth smiled.

"_Like I wouldn't already know it…"_ She thought. _"Secretive huh? I'm not the only one…"_

She continued her way to a room she was allowed to use as her own. No one came there so she was able to keep her "secret files" visible. On one wall she had some photos. Some of them were pretty old. The photos of Conan Edogawa, Shinichi Kudô and Ran Môri had been on that wall for several months but there were some other photos too: photos of Yume Kuroi and Barako Nisshoku.

"I'm tired of just keeping an eye on her. Maybe I should tell her now… What do you think, Champagnet?" Vermouth looked at a framed photograph of a woman on her desk. The woman had a chin-length platinum blond hair, ice blue eyes the same shape as Vermouth's and a little girl on her lap.

* * *

**A/N: Guah, "pajama" and "pyjama"... I prefer "pyjama" but they say it's in America "pajama" and since I'm writing more with Am.E. than with Br.E. I have to use it... But even though about these depressing thoughts I hope some review... thank you. *a deep bow***


	23. Pajama party

**A/N: Hi everyone! It has been far too long time since the previous chapter but I finally wrote this! Yay! Happy New Year to all of you!**

* * *

It was finally Friday. Yume had already packed her pajama and some other stuff to her backpack and was looking forward to five o'clock. Then she would leave to professor Agasa's place where Haibara also lived.

"_Hmm… Is everything here?"_ Yume was checking her back pack for the third time. Eri watched her doings amused.

"Yume-chan, I'm sure everything is packed." The woman smiled as she crouched and closed the back pack. "It's four thirty. Shall we go now? If I remember right you wanted to visit the grocery store before going there."

"Ah, you are right. It's some kind of a picnic too so everyone is bringing something. I promised to bring some salty snacks." Yume remembered.

* * *

"Yume-chan, you are late!" Ayumi smiled when Yume stepped in.

"Only two minutes." Yume mumbled and handed chips to Agasa who went to the kitchen to put them into a bowl. Ai went after him to check he wouldn't eat them there.

"I think that's not bad at all. Genta-kun and Nendo-kun haven't even come yet." Mitsuhiko pointed out.

After ten minutes everyone was at the place and they started to watch a movie Mitsuhiko had brought, Gomera, Final. In the middle of the climax Yume got an e-mail message. She jumped down from the sofa and walked to the hall.

- I'd like to meet you face to face. See you in thirty seconds.

"_Thirty seconds? That must mean she knows where I am but… How? And why does she want to meet me?"_ Yume was frozen and just staring the message. Conan peeked over her shoulder.

"Nisshoku?" He asked quietly. Yume turned around quickly.

"A-! Don't do that! You scared me!"

"Who is that message from? Your face darkened when you saw the sender's ID." Ai appeared behind Conan. Yume looked away.

"There is someone who is coming here very soon. She wants to talk with me."

"Do you know who she is?" Conan asked.

"…" Yume didn't answer when the doorbell rang. Agasa came from the kitchen to open the door. When the door opened all three faux kids acted differently. Ai hid behind Conan and glanced towards the living room, hoping that the other four kids would stay there. Conan kept his stun-gun watch ready to shoot. Yume stepped in front of those two and grabbed the boy's wrist, making him unable to shoot a dart from the watch.

Outside of the door was a young woman waiting. She had platinum blond hair, slightly curly and ended right above her shoulders. Her eyes had the exact same shape than Yume's and she looked like an adult version of about the girl with only one exception: Yume's eye brows were very thin and dark when the woman's were the same color as her hair.

"Edogawa-kun, don't do anything stupid." Yume said to the boy letting his hand go but still staying in front of him. She turned to talk with the woman who stepped in(Agasa closed the door behind her and went back to the kitchen to eat snacks secretly). The woman was clearly forenger so Yume chose to speak in English with her. It was also safer… in the case the kids were eavesdropping.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled. She understood the reason behind English usage. "My name is Christine Warden." Her answer made Yume frown. Christine Warden was the name Ren had used in her book. The real name of 'South'. In reality it would mean Chris Vineyard.

"Well, let's assume that's your name. You are the one who has sent me the e-mail messages, right?" This time the woman, Christine, only nodded. Ai whispered quietly something to Conan. The boy's eyes widened and he peeked behind Yume's shoulder at the woman and whispered something back. Yume heard what they said:

"_That woman… She is Vermouth…"_

"_Yeah, you are right. But why does she want to talk with Kuroi-chan?"_

"_Maybe Kuroi is a spy from the Organization and now-"_

"_That's impossible. It seems this is the first time when Kuroi meets her. Besides you noticed her attitude, right? She doesn't trust in that 'Christine'."_

"Why did you send me those messages?" Yume continued making question.

"To make sure you were alright."

"That's not a proper answer." Conan said suddenly. Yume and Christine both turned their heads towards him. "That doesn't answer to the question 'why'. Why did you want to make sure she was alright?"

"I had made a promise to her mother. I promised to keep an eye on Lily-chan." The woman said. Yume stood quiet. Conan watched the girl's expressions but couldn't read them. After a silence that felt like an eternity she asked another question:

"You killed Ren-san, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did. And before asking anything else let me tell you why I came here today."

"..."

"I came here to talk with you. I have to tell you something important." Yume was going to say something when the woman said: "How was possible that I knew about the message inside you red necklace you are always wearing?"

"The message inside didn't tell anything about you."

"I never said so. Anyways, I'm going now. It was nice to meet you Lily-chan." The woman turned around and was leaving when Yume ran after her and grabbed her sleeve.

"Wait, I'm coming with you." The girl said. "Give me five minutes."

"Very well then… Five minutes, then I'll leave, whether you are with me or not." Christine said. Yume let her sleeve go and ran back to the living room. Conan and Ai followed her.

* * *

"Kuroi, you are crazy! You don't know her! You don't-!" Ai started but Yume gave her a murderous look.

"I know exactly who she is and how dangerous it is to go with her but I wanna know more about my parents." She stated as she took her backpack that she hadn't unpacked yet. She opened it and took a book from there. Yume gave it to Conan. "Read it. Then you'll understand."

The three kids walked back to the hall. The woman wasn't there anymore but they saw a car on the street and the woman on the wheel.

"Bye then, see you tomorrow or the day after it." Yume smiled and ran to the car. Conan closed the door behind her and looked at the book in his hands. The Ravens' Call.

"She is crazy. Why did she do that?" Ai thought aloud.

"She is just curious. And for some reason I know she'll be alright." The boy gave a nervous smile to the girl. "But I have to admit… I am a bit worried about her."

"Well, if she has a reason to do this, it should be really good."

* * *

**A/N: I have no idea when the next chapter will come but now is the time for a little thing: It's time for sending some review for me! Please do it, I really need it. :) See you again! Someday...**


	24. Truth about the parents

**A/N: It has been far too long time since I updated this. And right now I'm not making any promises about the schedule. I'll update when I feel like writing. But now enjoy about this chapter. :)**

* * *

Yume sat quietly in the car Vermouth was driving. The woman didn't have any reason to talk yet either. She just drove the car.

"Where are we goin'?" Yume finally asked.

"Nowhere yet. We are going to talk right here." The reply came.

"Well, what do you wanna tell me then?"

"What is the story behind the name Yume Kuroi?"

"That's not an answer!"

"Just tell me how you chose it." Vermouth stated calmly without removing her gaze from the road.

"I picked it up suddenly and decided to keep it then after I remembered that Kuroi was the name of the detective in Ren-san's book."

"Do you know how Cider took the names for her book?"

"No… I think she looked for similar names and used them."

"That's half of the truth. But with some names it wasn't just the similarities. She wanted to remember two of her friends in that book. Both of them had passed away because of the organization."

"What were their names then?"

Vermouth took off the disguise of short-haired woman. Yume noticed the woman's own face wasn't much different than the disguise had been.

"Champagnet and Arrak. Real names were Christine Warden and Akira Kuroi. Those two were the most important people for me in the entire organization." The woman stated.

"Eh? Then it wasn't just a coincidence that you showed up as Christine Warden!"

"But there is one more thing with those two. Thing that even Cider wasn't aware of. Those two were your parents."

Yume just stared at the woman. Had she heard right? Could that be true? Her parents had worked for the organization and both had died? Then she noticed another thing.

"You are not Chris Vineyard even though you have her face right now." She said. Now was Vermouth's turn to be surprised.

"I have met Chris Vineyard in New York and she… the atmosphere around her was different than yours is."

"Atmosphere? Can you somehow tell just by looking at a person if you can trust them or not?"

"Exactly."

"Hmh… Christine did the same. I couldn't ever surprise her with my disguises. She always saw through them." Vermouth smiled. "Yes, I am not Chris Vineyard. How could I be if she is dead?"

"Dead? Hey, slow down, I don't get all of this." Yume interrupted the woman who let out a sigh.

"Okay, let's start from the beginning. In reality I am Sharon Vineyard, actress who 'died' one year ago. After my faked death I took the alias of Chris Vineyard."

"I see that far but what does it have to do with my-?"

"If you didn't interrupt me all the time I could tell this properly."

"Sorry…"

"Okay that was one of the main points… The other point is that the original Chris Vineyard and Christine Warden are the one and same."

"What?" Then you're…" Now Yume was totally speechless.

"Your grandmother."

"No, no, no… That's impossible. Do you have any proof?"

"Isn't it proof enough that I knew about your necklace?"

"No, it isn't."

Vermouth sighed again, slowed down the car's speed a bit and took her wallet from her pocket. She gave the wallet to Yume. "Look at the photos."

Yume glanced nervously at Vermouth but opened the wallet and saw two photos between it. There were three people in one photo. In both of them was a woman with a short, curly blond hair: Christine Warden – the same woman than Vermouth had disguised herself earlier. And she was holding a little girl in her lap.

"Is this... me?" Yume breathed deep and looked at Vermouth who was still driving without any particular direction.

"Yes, those two photos were taken on your first birthday. If look at the photos again you might also notice that there is some people next to Christine."

Yume turned to watch the photos again. There was a man next to her mother in the first photo. That man had dark green eyes, straight black hair on his shoulders (though it was tied on a ponytail) and…

"He smoked, didn't he?" Yume stated and pointed the man's jacket. "There is a bundle here, on the place where usually is an inside pocket. And this bundle's size is the same as what a cigarette pack and a lighter needs."

"You are right." Vermouth admitted as Yume took a look at the other photo though there wasn't as much to see. Instead of that man there was Sharon Vineyard.

"This is weird. I thought I'd be thrilled or sad to hear all this but… I feel nothing. They just… are somethin' I have forgotten…" Yume said quietly. "And I have to say… you look pretty young, _grandma_."

"Oh, please, don't call me like that."

"How did my parents die? You said it was because of the organization."

"Well, I don't really like to talk about it but maybe you should know." Vermouth mumbled and for the first time… she looked sad. "Your father Akira died when you were about two-years-old. It was because of the competition inside the organization."

"Competition?"

"He was an explosive expert with his teacher whose codename was Whiskey. Whiskey happened to hear when two higher-ups talked about the idea of the organization keeping only one person in charge of explosives and some minor members with an ability to plant the bombs but not to build one."

"I don't get that. Anyone can make a bomb. Internet is full of instructions of how to do so..." Yume huffed.

"At that time it wasn't so. And Whiskey didn't think of it like that. The only thought he got was that it was him or Akira, who already had surpassed him, who'd stay in the organization. And obviously he didn't want to be the one who'd leave."

"So he…"

"He arranged an accident during Akira's mission. Akira got locked inside the building he had just planted a bomb in with only three minutes left in the countdown. And what did he do then? He called to your mother and asked her to make sure you wouldn't be in touch with the organization. But he didn't say a word about what has happened in the building."

"Is that the reason why mum took me to the children's home? That I'd be adopted and could start a life without any connection to the organization?"

"Correct. But the fate is weird, isn't it? After all you got adopted but by another member of the organization, Cider and her husband from Metropolitan Police forces. Luckily Cider wasn't aware of your past."

"Yeah, it's just better that she didn't know… But what about mum then? I remember she sent me a lot of letters when I was younger and made a call on my birthdays but after I went to Japan it stopped."

"She decided that it's better if you forget her. And after she met you accidentally in New York last year she thought everything was alright now and committed a suicide."

"What? She…" Yume was speechless again. This time because of horror.

"Yes…" Vermouth stopped the car to the traffic lights. "I prefer not to remember it. She suggested it on the same night that she had met you, and Rose had killed Heath…"

"Rose? Heath? Who are those two?"

"Oh, you don't know. But you were watching Golden Apple, right? Heath was angel Gabriel and Rose was the woman with blonde wavy hair."

"Oh, those two… But back to the topic… You said mum committed a suicide. How?"

"It was her idea. I already looked like her after taking one kind of a drug – no, it isn't the same you were fed – so she asked if I wanted to continue my life as her. It was pretty easy. After finishing one filming session it was only she and I in the make-up tent and we changed clothes and appearance. At that time she liked to work sometimes as a make-up artist so no one suspected anything…"

"_Christine, are you really sure about this?" Sharon Vineyard asked from her daughter. Christine – shortened to Chris – nodded as she was packing her make-up kit._

"_Yes, I am."_

"_But what about Lily then? You could meet her again."_

"_No… I don't want to. She seemed to be happy with her friends. You can meet her one day… But only if you don't try to drag her into the organization." Christine smiled and pulled a lock of her short curly hair behind her ear._

"_But…"_

"_No 'buts'. This is easy for me, and much easier for you. You can start a whole new life. And no one in the organization will know about the connection between us two. You just go on with a new alias and a new face."_

"… _I don't know what to say…" Sharon mumbled as she lit a smoke._

"_How about…' it was nice to know you'? That's what I want to say." Christine pulled a mask, which was stronger than the normal masks, on her face. Now there was only one thing left: the dying itself._

"_Bye then…"_

"…" _Sharon didn't say anything, just watched as her daughter, who looked now exactly like her, left the tent._

"_Mrs. Vineyard, are you leaving already?__" Someone from the filming stuff asked from Christine in disguise._

"_Yes, I am. It's getting too dark for filming now. See you tomorrow.__" Christine answered. "__And would you please tell to Ms. Warden that I'm counting on her.__"_

"_Yes, ma'am!__"_

_Christine climbed in her mother's car and started the engine. She had placed some bombs around the car. And those bombs would explode when she detonated them. And no one would suspect that it was the driver herself who detonated them. And no one would expect that the 'real victim' would be alive._

"_One… two… three…" Christine closed her eyes and pressed a button under the wheel. "I'm coming, Akira…"_

_The car was full of flames in an instant. The filming staff watched in horror as the famous film legend burnt inside her own car. It was an instant death but they didn't know it yet._

"_Sharon!__"_

"_Mrs. Vineyard!__"_

"_Someone! Call an ambulance and a fire engine!__"_

"_Idiot! We have to get her out first.__"_

"_How? She has locked the doors!__"_

"_I-, Is she smiling?__"_

"_Of course she isn't!__"_

_The real Sharon watched this from distance and walked to Christine's car. "I'm counting on you too…"_

* * *

**A/N: Vermouth doesn't really show any emotions what do you think. But the happenings in that flashback really hurt her... And that car fire was considered in media as a murder or an accident, not as a suicide.**

**Feel free to send questions if you feel like it. I know this might be a bit confusing(once again)...**


	25. Explanations and some cleaning up

**A/N: ****It's pretty surprising how Dream or Not gets reviews but this doesn't... ;) Dear readers, I really hope you'll share your opinions and thoughts with me. I'd appreciate it.**

**But anyways... Thank you everyone who has put this fic to their author or story alert. It makes me happy. I just need more reviews...**

* * *

"How many know about these connections between mum, you and others?" Yume asked. She had to keep asking in order to that she wouldn't start crying.

"Let me think… It was known in the organization that 'Champagnet' and 'Arrak' were together even though they weren't officially married. And Arrak was the only one beside Boss who knew that Christine was my daughter. But no one outside the family knows about you." Vermouth thought aloud. "For the world there were Sharon Vineyard and her daughter Chris Vineyard plus Sharon Vineyard's make-up artist Christine Warden."

"So, mum had two different aliases plus the role as organization member before she died and passed forward her original role?"

"Depends on the point of view. Which one of them do you see as her 'original' role?" Vermouth smiled.

"Um… Good question. I was thinking of her role as Chris Vineyard but now I'm not so sure anymore…"

"She preferred to use the longer version of her name and my maiden name before she debuted under that name you just mentioned. But she wasn't very media-active back then so she could continue as my make-up artist. No one could suspect anything. Not even the FBI when she suddenly disappeared."

"FBI?"

"Yeah… FBI, especially one certain agent, is after me. They managed to find out that Sharon and Chris Vineyard are the one and same but they didn't find anything about Christine. Absolutely nothing." Yume looked at Vermouth. The woman was smiling happily. From the bottom of her heart. Yume smiled a bit too.

"How did you find out that Whiskey had killed my father?" Yume asked then and used the word 'father' because she felt uneasy to call him 'dad'. After all she hadn't really known him.

"Whiskey… was mentally ill. He was at our pharmacy time to time and in medicine high he always babbled something. Once I happened to hear a part of his nonsense."

"What was it?"

"He said: _-If I hadn't killed that bloody Arrak I couldn't have lived anymore. You see this is my only life. Blowing up buildings. I don't care if I had had to leave organization but they would have killed me then. You see… Arrak was too good. I had to kill him…_"

"Creepy…" Yume shivered.

"Yeah, I told Boss about it and he ordered his execution. He had become a threat to the organization too and we had a lot of middle-classed members who handled explosives pretty well. But Whiskey run away and found his way to America. Don't ask how." Vermouth sighed. "There he set off a bomb in one mall and the NYPD got him. But we were ahead. One of our snipers had joined forces temporarily with him and shot him when police officers were taking him to the car. The end."

"I see… Your life-span is pretty short if you are in the organization…" Yume mumbled. "I have made my decision."

"Decision? What have you decided then?" Vermouth asked but already had a good guess about it.

"I'm gonna join to the organization." The girl stated. "Of course not in the state I'm right now but when I'm back in my ordinary form."

"Even though it's against both of your parents' wishes?" Vermouth sighed dramatically. Yume smirked. She knew that woman was agreeing with her.

"I know but the only way to destroy the organization is to do it from inside. The attacks from outside are not enough."

"I understand your view. So, you think FBI and CIA are not capable of taking down an organization like this if they stay outside all the time?"

"Exactly. But of course I have my own provisions for joining."

"And number one is to change back to your original form. Leave it to me." Vermouth made a U-turn and speeded up.

"Whe-, Where are we goin' _now_?"

"We are going to one of the organization's labs. There is a person you should meet."

"Who is that? And isn't it a bit late already? What makes you think that person is still there?"

"Technically she lives at the lab so she should still be there. And…" Vermouth checked the time from her watch. "…I bet she is drunk right now."

"Drunk? We are going to meet some scientist who is also an alcoholist?"

"Yes, have you ever heard of Jill Miyashi?"

"Well, she was mentioned in some science magazine two or three years ago. She was called a high-school genius. Now she should be… 20?"

"Correct. We hired her a bit after Sherry left but she hadn't really made any progress with APTX-project so she drinks every night after lab assistants have gone home."

"You hired her? Okay… this shouldn't surprise me anymore."

"She is codenamed Amaretto and it was actually pretty easy to hire her. She needed new challenges and her brother Jim already worked for us under the codename Reidel. He is already 23 if you want to know."

"I see…"

"But now…" Vermouth smirked. Yume noticed they had come to an underground parking hall. "We'll meet the mad scientist herself."

* * *

The fourth floor

Vermouth stepped out from the elevator and Yume followed her.

"Don't worry. There aren't any cameras in this floor. You don't need to hide behind me." The woman laughed.

"I am not hiding. I just…" Yume muttered.

"You are alert in case there are any cameras. That's good. May I hear now what your other provisions are?"

"Number two is that I can leave the organization whenever I want to."

"Even when you haven't reached your goal?"

"Yes, and the third one is that if I decide to leave the organization… I'll be left alone along with my family and friends."

"That's pretty hard one. I don't know if that's possible."

"Well, I assumed something like that…" Yume shrugged. "That just means I have to stay in the organization until I'm done."

"Have you really weighed this?" Vermouth looked at the girl.

"Yes, I have. This is a giant organization that has branches all over the world but especially in Japan. It handles all kind of illegal things. Everything from drug dealings and bank robberies to assassinations and threatening."

"Good." Vermouth knocked to a door in the end of the corridor and opened it. "Amaretto? You here?"

They saw a mess behind that door. Clothes and trash everywhere, broken furniture but in the middle of that there were one table and one chair. And on that chair was a woman's figure, lying on the table and next to her were a lot of empty beer cans and some liquor bottles.

"I bet she has an awful headache tomorrow." Vermouth sighed and walked through the mess to the woman. "Amaretto… Wake up. It's me, Chris."

The woman moved a bit as Vermouth shook her from her shoulders. But only to fall on the floor. She was sleeping.

"Okay, let her sleep. Would you help me a bit? There should be a sofa here… somewhere. Could you look around to see where it is?"

"Uh… Sure." Yume walked closer and closed the door behind her. Meanwhile Vermouth lifted the younger woman's body on her shoulder and looked around too.

"Oh, there. Good it wasn't far away."

When Amaretto's body was placed on the sofa Vermouth took the liquor bottles on the table and went to a room that slightly resembled a kitchen. "These rooms used to be part of our labs but Amaretto decided to move here and make this her home."

"Does she really drink this much?" Yume asked as she took the beer cans.

"No, I think these are from yesterday too. God, she must be in a dead end now."

"What do we do now?"

"We'll wait until she wakes up. And we can clean up a bit too in order to get more space to walk."

"Uff…" Yume didn't like the idea but nodded.

"Actually this place is pretty easy to clean up. You just have to take trashes and throw them there…" Vermouth pointed a hole in the wall that had a glass ark in front of it. "It works like the laundry cleft in some big hotels."

"…Okay."

* * *

**A/N: And now... you see that magical button under this message? Klick it. Klick it, please...**


	26. Amaretto

**A/N: I got this from my Beta already a week ago but because of my laziness I didn't submit this yet... I'm sorry. *bows* But I also had some other project under work.**

**Okay, now you'll finally meet Amaretto! She talks weirdly but only because she is so drunken. :)**

**BTW I have an account on DeviantArt. If you want you can go and check my drawings there. The name there is Tsukiko75014**

* * *

"Okay, I think this is enough. Now we have enough space to walk around." Vermouth put the last load of trash to the cleft. Yume put the last bundle of clothes from the floor to an armchair.

"Do you do this often? Cleaning up here?" She asked.

"Nah, not often. Only when Amaretto is absolutely intoxicated, and there is a huge mess here. I just come to check that she is still alive." Vermouth went to the kitchen and Yume followed her. "You probably noticed that it really isn't dusty here. She actually likes cleaning. Amaretto. She drinks a lot and makes a mess up here but when she is alright she takes a vacuum cleaner and tidies up."

"Sounds weird."

"Oh showwy if I'm weird!" They suddenly heard from the other room. Then they heard some quick steps and a door opening and slamming shut.

"She went to the bathroom. Probably throwing up right now. She always does it." Vermouth shrugged and took a kitchen towel. She held it under cold water and then squeezed it dry. "Come."

They saw as a young woman staggered from the bathroom, wiping her mouth to the sleeve of her lab coat.

"God, Amaretto, you smell."

"So would you if *hic* you shad shpent 48 hours in here just dhinkin'…*hic*" Amaretto mumbled and took the towel from Vermouth.

"It seems you are not on clear waters yet." The older woman pointed out.

"Well, I *hic* jusht… I aam jusht… Takin' a bheak *hic* f'om shleepin'…" Amaretto would have looked beautiful if she hadn't had such a messy hair after sleeping on the table and big bags under her eyes from drinking and staying up.

"Ama-."

"Oh, shaddup, Chris! Can't you jusht leave me alone? *hic* I have had enough of this organization and my work. I'm in a deeead eeend and even my brother hadn't come here to say any word!" Amaretto waved the wet towel in front of Vermouth's face but put it to her own forehead.

"Amaretto you are drunk. Take your usual shower and change your clothes. I have an offer for you."

"Why chan't you t'll it to me noow?"

"Because if you don't take the shower, you'll fall asleep and when you wake up you won't remember a word I have said."

"Oh, true… *hic*."

* * *

After a half an hour

"Sorry about that. I'm in a total dead end with the APTX-project. I don't know what to do…" Amaretto complained. Yume blinked. That woman was like a different person now.

"I have a suggestion linked to that project." Vermouth said. They were sitting at the same table Amaretto had slept on. "But it needs your full attention and you must not start drinking."

"Well, I'm all ears." Amaretto sipped some coffee from a mug she was holding.

"I told you about the weird effect of some APTX-4869 pills. About shrinking."

"Yeah. And?"

"What about finding an antidote for it?"

"Pfft!" Amaretto spit the coffee back to the mug. "Are you crazy? I don't even have anything to start with. And others will surely find out what I'm doing."

"Actually I can help you with the start. Lily, you have some of that test version with you right?"

"Yeah." Yume nodded and took her back bag from the floor. She searched the extra pills she hadn't used and gave them both to Vermouth.

"And who's this?" Amaretto peered at Yume over the table.

"Champagnet's daughter who accidentally got fed with that drug. And these are the test version Sherry has done. They both last about 24 hours if it is a person who hasn't used these before." Vermouth dropped the pills on Amaretto's open palm. "And about the other members of the organization… They don't need to know anything. I have noticed that they don't understand a word from what you are saying when you are explaining how much you have gone forward. They only see you have worked hard and that's enough for them."

"Okay…"

"Well, are you in?"

"Hell yeah! I'm thrilled. I think I'll start working right away."

"Sleep first. And remember: not a word to anyone else."

"Yeah, yeah, that's obvious. Man, I can't wait." Amaretto drank her coffee and took the mug to the kitchen. When she came back she was smiling even more widely. "Hey, girl. Don't worry! Jill-neechan will make sure that you'll be back in your original form in a month." She lifted Yume up and hugged her tightly. "Aww… I always wanted a little sister like you. You are so cute!"

"Uhh… I can't breathe…" Yume muttered. "And I'm seventeen, you know?"

* * *

"Well, can you wait for a month or more?" Vermouth asked when she and Yume were walking back to her car.

"Yes, I can. I'm gonna take down this organization. It doesn't matter how long time does it take." Yume answered. "And don't call me Lily. It doesn't sound right."

"Why it doesn't?"

"Because… I have been called 'Barako' for over thirteen years. It doesn't sound right to be called 'Lily' so suddenly. And after all… right now I'm 'Yume'. It's too confusin' if I'm called with three different names."

"I see your point."

"…" Yume mumbled something Vermouth didn't hear.

"I was surprised that you started to trust in me so quickly."

"I wouldn't call it trust but at least I don't try to kill you or arrest you."

"That's the first step towards trust."

"Like I wouldn't already know that…"

Their steps echoed in the empty corridor when they arrived to the elevator. It was still in the same floor(who else would use it at that time of the evening?) so they stepped in.

"Oh, it's only 9 pm. I can take you back to your pajama party." Vermouth said as she checked the time from her wrist watch.

"Okay…"

"You are pretty quiet. What are you thinking?"

"I just… It seems I should avoid fire. Father died because of his own explosives, mum blew up the car she was goin' to drive and Ren-san died in the basement of her own childhood home that was lit on fire…" Yume shot a glare at Vermouth. The woman sighed.

"That's why I asked if you were sure about your decision. Our job is dangerous and illegal."

"And I know it very well. Those things I just said are just making me even more sure about that decision. I'm doin' it for their sake."

* * *

Back to Agasa's

"Well, what kind of a book it is?" Ai asked from Conan who was reading Ravens' Call. Other kids were playing Truth or Dare. They had complained a long time before leaving those two faux kids alone.

"This is pretty well-written. No wonder she became famous." The boy analyzed.

"That's not the point! What about the plot? What about us in that book?"

"Well… I found us… Akio Nori and Haine Fuyuno. Both are eleven years old. Kajiya-sensei has also done very good research on Sleeping Kogoro's cases."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Tell me more. What about the organization's involvement to the plot, the drug, everything…"

"We are not in danger." Conan stated and closed the book. "And if you want to know more…Why don't you read it yourself?"

"I…"

Only the ringing of a doorbell interrupted their arguing. Yume appeared in the living room, alone, smiling widely.

"Oh, you aren't sleepin' yet." She put her backpack on the floor.

"Yume-chan! Where were you?" Nendo asked immediately. Other kids also gathered around the blond girl.

"You just disappeared."

"And missed the best part of the movie."

"It was just… some family business." The girl smiled.

"Come play with us. Conan-kun and Ai-chan didn't want to." Ayumi requested.

"Okay!" Yume was relieved that she was 'saved' from Conan and Ai's questions.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, my request is the same as always. Please review! And questions are welcome too. I'll answer to them. Promise!**

**But bye now until we see again!**


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